There has been a new study that suggests that clearing tropical forests and landscaping can cause a disease called Buruli ulcer.
Professional foresters and woodwork men are advised to be more careful and keen in protecting themselves from bacteria called Mycobacterium ulcerans that are believed to cause bone deformities and Buruli skin lesions.
According to World Health Organization, Buruli ulcer is a "chronic debilitating skin and soft tissue infection that can lead to permanent disfigurement and disability." There have been reported cases of Buruli ulcer in 33 countries in Africa, America and some parts of Asia. Most of the victims are aged 15 years old and below-practically kids.
Most of the cases reported to WHO come from tropical regions, and now recently, research revealed that any human can actually be bacteria-struck during a clearing forest operation or landscaping, as Mycobacterium ulcerans thrive in a variety of different species of organisms such as insects and algae.
Science News says it boils down to the changes in the food web. French expert, Morris says, "As species are lost from once-complex food webs, there's an intermediate zone where bacteria-friendly species thrive."
On a more positive note, though, there is still a possibility for the bacterial growth to die down. This could be true when more clearing operations are done to pave way for building commercial structures or "urbanizations." The bacteria may not be able to find a perfect host to predate on, which can shrink the chances of them existing.
More evidence on the relationship of Mycobacterium ulcerans in tropical forests and Buruli ulcer have yet to be studied. There may still be too few cases at present to claim certainty to this study. Just to be safe, though, people have to know of this new research development. After all, prevention is still always better than cure.
