Sydney, Dec 21: Health authorities in Australia's second most populous state have issued a warning over the spread of a flesh eating ulcer. The Department of Health in Victoria on Friday said that cases of Buruli ulcer are spreading across the state, including in inner Melbourne, Xinhua news agency reported.

Buruli ulcer is a bacterial infection that researchers believe is spread from possums to humans by mosquitoes. Cases initially present as a painless lump or wound that can slowly develop into a destructive ulcer. If left untreated, the flesh eating ulcer can lead to permanent disfigurement and long-term disability.

The Department of Health's warning said that the highest risk of infection occurs during warmer months but that it can take four to five months for an ulcer to develop. As of December 17, there had been 344 confirmed Buruli ulcer infections in Victoria in 2024, the department said, compared to 362 at the same time in 2023, 338 in 2022, 286 in 2021 and 217 in 2020.

"Everyone is susceptible to infection. The disease can occur at any age, but Buruli ulcer notifications are highest in people aged 60 years and above in Victoria," the health alert said. Infection is not transmissible from person to person, but household members of a confirmed case in Victoria have been advised to monitor for symptoms as they may have been exposed to the same environmental source.

When recognised early, diagnostic testing is straightforward and treatment can significantly reduce skin loss and tissue damage, the Department of Health said. Victoria's 6.9 million people have been advised to take preventative measures by avoiding mosquito bites.