02403nas a2200385   4500000000100000008004100001653003000042653002200072653002300094653002700117653001600144653000900160653001100169653001100180653002000191653002800211653002900239653003300268653001300301653001700314653000900331653001000340100001500350700001600365700001200381700001500393700001600408700001200424245011200436856007500548300000700623490000700630520136600637022001402003       2013                            d10aReferral and Consultation10aProfessional Role10aNeglected Diseases10aMycobacterium ulcerans10aMiddle Aged10aMale10aHumans10aFemale10aEarly Diagnosis10aCross-Sectional Studies10aCommunity health workers10aCommunicable Disease Control10aCameroon10aBuruli ulcer10aAged10aAdult1 aVouking MZ1 aTakougang I1 aMbam LM1 aMbuagbaw L1 aTadenfok CN1 aTamo CV00aThe contribution of community health workers to the control of Buruli ulcer in the Ngoantet area, Cameroon.  uhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3976652/pdf/PAMJ-16-63.pdf  a630 v163 a<p><strong>INTRODUCTION: </strong>Buruli ulcer (BU) is a skin disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. It is the third most common mycobacterial infection after tuberculosis and leprosy. Community Health Workers (CHWs) hold the potential to support patients and their families at the community level.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study to assess the participation of CHWs in the early diagnosis and treatment of BU in Ngoantet, Cameroon. The CHWs performance was measured using: the number of cases referred to the Ngoantet Health Centre, the percentage of accomplished referrals, the percentage of cases referred by CHWs confirmed by the staff of Ngoantet Health Centre. Data was analyzed using Epi-info version 3.4.1. and Microsoft Office Excel 2003. The study focused on 51 CHWs in the Ngoantet health area.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>The referral rate was 95.0%. Most of the suspicious cases (91.5%) referred were confirmed by health workers. Most CHWs (78.4%) declared that they had identified at least one presumptive case of BU infection.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSION: </strong>We conclude that the CHWs can play a key role in scaling up BU control activities using a referral system. This study confirms the role of home visits and inspections in the early detection and treatment of BU.</p>
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