Treatment
Preulcerative lesions are excised, and the skin is closed primarily. Ulcers are widely excised, and skin grafts applied. Continuous local heating to 40°C (e.g. by circulating water jackets) promotes healing, even without excision. Amputation of limbs is sometimes necessary. Appropriate physiotherapy is important when contracture deformities are likely to develop.
Small lesions can be treated with antibiotics alone. The current recommended regimen is rifampicin for eight weeks, with streptomycin injections given for the first four weeks, and then clarithromycin orally for the second four weeks. Antibiotics are ineffective in more extensive disease and surgery is always required.
Read more about this topic: Mycobacterium Ulcerans
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