There has been low level endemicity of Buruli ulcer (BU) - infection of subcutaneous tissue with Mycobacterium ulcerans - in some rural regions of Australia for decades. However, in the 1990s BU epidemiology changed and case numbers began to increase and occur around the major metropolitan city of Melbourne and the regional centre of Geelong in the state of Victoria, in southeast Australia. BU has been a notifiable disease in Victoria since 2004 and there has been on average 350 confirmed BU cases per year since 2017. Our research consortium has been attempting to address the key question of how BU is spreading from the environment to humans. We have made some important discoveries that implicate native possums as major wildlife reservoirs of the pathogen and mosquitoes as vectors. These findings have led to the first evidence-based opportunities to intervene in the transmission of BU.
Professor Tim Stinear is an NHMRC Leadership Fellow (L3) and Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Melbourne, where he serves as Deputy Head of Department and Co-Lead of the Centre for Pathogen Genomics. He is an internationally recognised leader in pathogen genomics, with >315 publications. His research has transformed understanding and control of infectious diseases, including resolving the transmission of Buruli ulcer, developing WHO-endorsed diagnostics and treatment frameworks, and advancing genomic surveillance of antimicrobial resistance. He has secured >$30M in competitive funding, leads major interdisciplinary and translational programs, and contributes to global health policy through roles including Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Mycobacterium ulcerans.
Moderation: Professor Dr. Sascha Knauf