GPs are being alerted to a spike in cases of the necrotising skin disease Buruli ulcer, which is now spreading geographically beyond traditionally endemic areas.

Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officer says 266 cases have been reported across the state so far this year — the highest annual case load since 2018, with some locations affected for the first time. 

Associate Professor Deborah Friedman urged doctors to look out for signs of infection, considering the importance of early diagnosis and treatment in reducing skin loss and tissue damage.

“Consider the diagnosis in patients with a persistent ulcer, nodule, papule or oedema and cellulitis not responding to usual treatments, especially on exposed parts of the body,” she said in a health alert on Wednesday.