Relationships of Buruli ulcer disease with aquatic plant and insect communities: An intensive survey of 80 waterbodies in Ghana, Africa

Numerous studies have associated Buruli ulcer disease with disturbed aquatic habitats; however, the natural reservoir, distribution and mode of transmission of the bacterial pathogen, Mycobacterium ulcerans, remain unknown. To better understand this disease, a large-scale assessment of aquatic waterbodies was initiated to identify potential ecological relationships that influence the distribution of M. ulcerans in the environment and human disease outbreaks. Specifically, we surveyed plant and insect communities within 80 aquatic waterbodies in Ghana, Africa, to (1) identify community differences between Buruli ulcer endemic and non-endemic waterbodies, (2) determine relationships between these communities, and (3) identify potential interactions between these biota and M. ulcerans. Multivariate analyses indicated no differences in community structure between endemic and non-endemic waterbodies. Observed relationships between plant and insect communities were dependent on waterflow (e.g., lentic, lotic) and plant types (e.g., emergent, submergent). No clear relationships between these biota and M. ulcerans were observed in this study. Further analyses that include additional abiotic and biotic variables should provide more information on these potentially complex ecological relationships.