Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfProc7): Abstract 092 | Published: 06 Oct 2026
Ebèkalisaï Piten1,2,&, Adodo Yao Sadji3, Jérémy Haliba4, Akila Bakoubayi4, Issaka Maman3, Piham Gnosikè5, Bayaki Saka6, Koffi Akolly1, Takpaya Gnaro1,2, Arnold Tiokang Sadio1,2, Fifonsi Adjodossi Gbeasor-Komlanvi1,2, Didier Koumavi Ekouevi1,2
1West Africa Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (WA-FELTP), Lomé, Togo, 2Centre de Formation et de Recherche en Santé Publique (CFRSP), Lomé, Togo, 3Institut National Hygiène, Lomé, Togo, 4Association allemande de lutte contre la lèpre et la tuberculose (DAHW), Lomé, Togo, 5Programme national de lutte contre les maladies tropicales négligées, Lomé, Togo, 6Centre Hospitalier Régional, Tsévié, Togo
&Corresponding author: Ebèkalisaï Piten; West Africa Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (WA-FELTP), Lomé, Togo, Email: pitenubtogo@yahoo.fr
Received: 29 Aug 2025, Accepted: 28 Oct 2025, Published: 06 Oct 2026
Domain: Neglected Tropical Diseases
This is part of the Proceedings of the 8th Ghana FELTP Scientific Conference and FELTP Competency Graduation, Accra, Ghana, 10 – 11 December, 2025
Keywords: surveillance, Buruli ulcer, neglected tropical disease, Togo
©Ebèkalisaï Piten et al Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Ebèkalisaï Piten et al. Epidemiological and clinical profile of Buruli ulcer in Togo, 2014-2024. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfProc7):092. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO7-0092
Buruli ulcer (BU) is a neglected tropical disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, which can lead to severe skin destruction and permanent disability. BU cases recorded at the National Reference and Treatment Center for Buruli Ulcer (CNRTUB) in Togo have declined in recent years. This study described the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of BU cases in Togo between 2014 and 2024 to inform surveillance.
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using data from all BU cases managed at the CNRTUB from 2014 to 2024. A BU case was defined as any patient presenting with a painless nodule, plaque, or ulcerative lesion, clinically diagnosed according to WHO criteria or confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Socio-demographic, clinical, and biological data were analyzed. Quantitative variables were summarized as medians with interquartile ranges (IQR), and qualitative variables as counts and proportions.
A total of 500 BU cases were recorded. The sex ratio (male/female) was 1.08, and the median age was 13 years (IQR: 8–38). Children under 15 years accounted for 56.6% of cases. The Maritime region was the most affected (95%), particularly the Zio (59%) and Yoto (31%) districts. More than half of patients (55%) presented at the ulcerative stage, and 91% of lesions were located on the limbs. PCR confirmation was obtained in 74.4% of cases. Overall, 96.2% of patients were cured without sequelae. The annual number of cases declined sharply from 93 in 2018 to 7 in 2024.
BU in Togo remains predominantly localized in the Zio and Yoto districts and primarily affects children. The marked decline in cases from 2018 to 2024 likely reflects effective control measures, including community awareness campaigns, strengthened surveillance, and early case detection. Sustaining these interventions will be essential for the continued control and eventual elimination of BU in Togo.
Menu