Emerging Buruli Ulcer Infection and Cultural Beliefs among the Tiv People in North-Central Nigeria

Buruli ulcer is a public health concern particularly where the knowledge about the disease is poor. An advent of an emerging wound ulcer epidemic was reported in North-central Nigeria in 2023. A study was then carried out between December 2023 to August 2024 to determine the prevalence and the knowledge about the infection among the Tiv people of North-central Nigeria who had reported the emerging strange wound ulcer disease. Descriptive epidemiological survey was conducted to determine the prevalence and the causative agent of the emerging wound ulcer. Wound swabs were taken from the ulcers for laboratory confirmation that these infections were indeed those caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. Of the 1,030 people assessed (392) 38.09 % presented with the wound ulcer, confirmed to be Buruli ulcer caused by M. ulcerans infection (p>0.05). This infection cuts across all ages, occupation, gender, even educational levels and occupations. Traditional (88.6%) and spiritual (59.4%) means of infection were the dominant means by which the people believed the infection can be acquired. Mycobacterium ulcerans infection (Buruli ulcer) is highly prevalent and fast emerging among the Tiv people of North-central Nigeria. The knowledge about mode of infection and its means of spread is limited and very poor. There is the need for health authorities to intervene, mount health awareness campaigns on the disease, its mode of spread, prevention and control, to ameliorate the sufferings of these people and restore confidence among them. This will help to curb further spread of the infection.

Key Words: emerging, Buruli ulcer, traditional beliefs, ignorance, Nigeria