DEAKIN RESEARCHER’S FIND

RESEARCHERS are a step closer to developing a better screening test for the flesh-eating Bairnsdale ulcer thanks to new discoveries by a Deakin University PhD graduate.

School of Medicine PhD researcher Selorm Avumegah dedicated his PhD to understanding the current trend in the distribution of cases around the state, and to developing protein preparations that could be used in a potential screening test.

Dr Avumegah is one of nearly 6000 graduands to take the stage at Deakin’s biggest round of graduations for the year over the next two weeks.

He said his work studying Bairnsdale ulcer — also known as Buruli ulcer — led to the potential development of a screening tool for use in at-risk communities.

“There have been reports of increasing Buruli ulcer infections rates in Victoria, but that rate is believed to be under-reported due to the lack of a rapid and easy-to-use screening test, among other factors,” he said.

“The time of infection to showing clinical symptoms of disease ranges from one month to nine months. My study protocol can potentially be developed into a tool for disease surveillance, to identify exposure or overt disease in atrisk communities.”

Dr Avumegah completed his research within the Gee- long Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, a partnership between Deakin University, Barwon Health and the CSIRO.

Cases of the Bairnsdale ulcer increased slightly in the Barwon South West region last year.

Dr Avumegah said his studies were partly inspired by his upbringing in Ghana.

“Being African, I’m very familiar with the infectious diseases that plague both humans and animals on the continent, and I’ve always had a strong interest in medical research,” he said. “Research efforts into human and animal diseases are inadequate in many areas. This led me to my PhD project on Buruli ulcer, one of the neglected tropical diseases which