Amoebae as potential environmental hosts for Mycobacterium ulcerans and other mycobacteria, but doubtful actors in Buruli ulcer epidemiology.
BackgroundThe reservoir and mode of transmission of Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causative agent of Buruli ulcer, remain unknown.Ecological, genetic and epidemiological information nonetheless suggests that M.ulcerans may reside in aquatic protozoa.Methodology/principal findingsWe experimentally infected Acanthamoeba polyphaga with M.ulcerans and fo