Mozzies are causing Buruli ulcers in more parts of Australia. Here’s what you need to know

Mozzies are spreading flesh-eating bacteria that causes Buruli ulcers in more parts of Australia. As warmer weather arrives and El Niño is expected to bring early summer heat, mosquitoes will make their presence felt earlier this year. Buruli ulcer is a skin infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium ulcerans, which starts as a small, painless inflammation after a mosquito bite and transforms into a disfiguring ulcer after weeks.

If left untreated, it can continue growing and cause significant tissue loss. The Australian backyard mosquito, Aedes notoscriptus, is the main carrier of the bacteria, commonly found in suburban water-holding containers. Buruli ulcer has been reported in over 30 countries, including Australia, with Victoria being the hardest-hit state, with 426 cases reported in 2025 alone.

Most cases have been in coastal regions, but Melbourne's inner suburbs, like Essendon, Brunswick West, and Moonee Ponds, have seen an increase in activity. To prevent the spread of the flesh-eating bacteria, health authorities recommend using insect repellents and reducing mosquito exposure. However, new research in Victoria suggests that a unique approach, deploying autonomous mosquito-releasing stations, can also reduce the risk of contracting Buruli ulcer.

These stations, which attract mosquitoes with a mixture of water and yeast and expose them to control agents that kill them before they can lay eggs, have shown a 70% reduction in mosquito activity in treated areas.