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Volume 9, Number 6—June 2003
Research

Histopathologic Features of Mycobacterium ulcerans Infection

Jeannette Guarner*Comments to Author , Jeanine Bartlett*, Ellen A. Spotts Whitney*, Pratima L. Raghunathan*, Ymkje Stienstra†, Kwame Asamoa‡, Samuel Etuaful§, Erasmus Klutse¶, Eric Quarshie#, Tjip S. van der Werf†, Winette T.A. van der Graaf†, C. Harold King**, and David A. Ashford*
Author affiliations: *Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; †Groningen University Hospital, the Netherlands; ‡Ministry of Health, Accra, Ghana; §St. Martins Catholic Hospital, Agroyesum, Ghana; ¶Dunkwa Government Hospital, Dunkwa, Ghana; #Presbyterian Hospital, Agogo, Ghana; **Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Main Article

Table 3

Comparison of histopathologic features of definite and suspected Buruli ulcer cases

Histopathologic feature Buruli ulcer (AFB positive)a
No. (%) Suspected Buruli ulcer (AFB negative)a no. (%) p value
Epidermisb



Hyperplasia
50/73 (68)
21/35 (60)
0.38
Dermisb



Elastolysis
45/74 (61)
2/35 (6)
<0.0001
Subcutaneous tissue



Necrosis
78/78 (100)
23/37 (62)
<0.0001
Vasculopathy
58/78 (74)
27/37 (73)
0.87
Acute inflammationc
72/78 (92)
27/37 (73)
0.008
Chronic inflammationd
31/78 (40)
18/37 (49)
0.36
Granulomase 30/78 (38) 12/37 (32) 0.53

aAFB, acid-fast bacilli.
bSeven specimens did not have epidermis, and six did not have dermis.
cAcute inflammation considered as present versus absent.
dChronic inflammation considered as intense versus mild.
eGranulomas considered as present versus absent.

Main Article

Page created: December 21, 2010
Page updated: December 21, 2010
Page reviewed: December 21, 2010
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