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The Barwon Health Infectious Diseases Unit is undertaking a world-first clinical trial to test the effectiveness of a new specific antibiotic called Telacebec in the treatment of Buruli Ulcer.

Buruli Ulcer is a skin disease caused by the bacterium, Mycobacterium ulcerans. The toxins made by the bacteria destroy skin cells, small blood vessels and the fat under the skin, which leads to ulceration and skin loss. The disease leads to significant physical and psychological illness that can be long-standing and come at considerable cost to the patient and community. The number of people affected by Buruli ulcer in our community is increasing as the disease continues to spread within the suburbs of Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast.

Director of Barwon Health’s Infectious Disease department, Professor Daniel O’Brien, pictured (left), said if the clinical trial is successful it will make a big difference to how clinicians currently treat patients,

“Most Buruli Ulcers currently require up to eight weeks of treatment with a combination of dual antibiotic therapy.

Current antibiotic treatment is long, requires two different antibiotics, has a high incidence of side-effects, and may cause serious interactions with people’s other medications.

Additionally, even with antibiotics, ulcers take many months to heal, requiring costly dressings, regular medical reviews and significant time and inconvenience for the patients”, he says.

“Through this clinical trial, which is supported by the World Health Organisation, the aim is for Buruli Ulcer treatment to be significantly shorter (reduced to 2-4 weeks), require only one antibiotic, be safer and more tolerable, and result in significantly shorter healing times for BU lesions.”

“It is hoped through our study that the use of Telacebec treatment will become the world recognised standard treatment for Buruli ulcer, and also lead to improvements in treatment for Tuberculosis and Leprosy.”

One patient keen to see the trial succeed, is Queenscliff resident and Buruli ulcer sufferer Geoffrey Mutton, pictured (right). Since being diagnosed in May, Geoffrey has been treated by Barwon Health using the current medications, but side effects have caused problems including liver issues and interference with some of his other medications. Furthermore, his wounds will take many months to heal.

“From a tiny wound that looked like an insect bite, to a large 50 cent coin sized wound in just a couple of weeks, seven weeks of antibiotics and acute inflammation of my foot, I was totally unprepared for the debilitating and painful effects of having a Buruli ulcer.”

“Any successful trial of an alternative antibiotic that reduced likelihood of side effects and sped up the healing process would be very welcome for patients unfortunate to have been infected,” he said.

If you are diagnosed with a Buruli ulcer and would like to consider being treated with this promising new antibiotic, please ask your doctor for a referral to the Infectious Diseases Service at Barwon Health or contact Adrian Costa Clinical Trials Centre on 03 4215 2878 or [email protected].