Neglected No More

Eliane’s Story

Buruli Ulcer (Mycobacterium ulcerans)

When the ulcer began, little Eliane did not complain. She is 10 years old and should be in the third grade. In the early stages of the ulcer on her shoulder, it was not painful, and Eliane’s family was not aware of the initial symptoms because in their home area, there had been no medical training for early detection. They did not know that contaminated water sources might lead to such a disease or that the disease even existed. That education is an integral part of MAP's work and had not yet reached her village in Cote d’Ivoire.

When the problem grew, Eliane’s mother made an extraordinary decision. They would travel 400 miles to the Buruli ulcer ward at Taabo Hospital. Her mother had heard it was the best place for treatment. She was right. The ward, built by MAP International and the American Leprosy Mission, is at the center of a model for effectively combating and treating Buruli ulcer.

Caused by a bacterium, Buruli ulcer attacks the skin causing a small nodule that if not caught early, can literally eat away the skin from the patient’s limbs and torso. Treatment for Buruli ulcer includes antibiotics and daily wound dressing and can take months. In severe cases such as Eliane’s, surgery is required to remove necrotic tissue, cover skin defects, and correct deformities. Treatment is also costly frequently upwards of $2,000 and far above what local families can afford. Thanks to the Buruli Ulcer ward at Taabo and MAP's support of it, Eliane’s treatment is totally free.

Because of the disease, Eliane has missed a great deal of school, including the final examinations for the third grade. That is a common problem for Buruli ulcer patients who fall behind and struggle to keep up as their bodies sicken. Eliane, however, has a very determined mother. Thanks to their trek to Taabo, she is getting better and will soon be headed home: Healthy and whole.

MAP will continue to expand our outreach and to support the efforts to develop a safe, effective, and affordable vaccine against Buruli ulcer. Only then will stories like Eliane’s cease to exist.