Aim: Buruli ulcer (BU), a neglected tropical disease, occurs in about thirty-three tropical countries worldwide. Misconceptions about BU lead to poor health-seeking behaviors. We explored community knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes regarding BU in a new endemic district.

Study design: It was a cross-sectional community-based survey. Place and duration of study: Bafia Health District (BHD), Centre region of Cameroon, between November 2023 and February 2024.

Methodology: We recruited 1341 participants through a 3-stage cluster sampling including 19 health areas, 57 villages, and 510 households. Within each household, a structured questionnaire was administered to 2 or 3 members aged 10-87 years.

Results: Of 1341 participants, 30.1% had heard of, and 21.1% knew someone with BU. Only 17.2% correctly identified BU lesions, 2.3% knew its cause, and 19.2% believed BU was curable. Regarding attitudes towards persons with BU (PWBU), only 27.4% would show them respect, 19,5% would shake hands, and 16.4% would share the same plate with them. Additionally, only 17.3% approved of their participation, and 14.1% and 12.2% respectively would allow their child to play with or marry a PWBU. Positive attitudes towards PWBU were significantly associated with having heard about BU, knowing a PWBU, and understanding that BU is curable. Negative attitudes were significantly associated with beliefs that: BU is caused by supernatural forces, poor hygiene, or living with a PWBU.

Conclusion: There was poor community knowledge and negative perceptions about BU in the BHD, which negatively influenced community attitudes towards PWBU. A community education intervention focusing on the natural occurrence, biological etiology, non-hereditary nature, the non-human-to-human transmission, and the curable nature of BU could improve the situation in BHD.

Dr. Earnest Njih Tabah is a passionate, focused, and results-oriented epidemiologist and public health physician with 25 years of working experience. He enjoys a track record of providing managerial and technical leadership; developing and overseeing the implementation of national strategies and plans, coordinating and supervising large and dispersed teams, building partnerships and mobilizing resources, leading and participating in operational research for the integrated control of Yaws, Leishmaniasis, Leprosy, and Buruli ulcer in Cameroon for the past 18 years, as National Programme Manager. He also boosts 17-year experience as a consultant, providing technical support to 15 countries of the WHO African Region (both English and French speaking) in the domain of national programme reviews; leprosy, Buruli ulcer, and yaws burden assessment; updating of leprosy registers, strategic planning, and recording and reporting tools development, and capacity building, integrated mapping of skin NTDs. Since 2020, he has been leveraging his wealth of skills and experience in the training of medical students and master’s students in epidemiology and public health at the University of Dschang, West Cameroon, where he is a Senior Lecturer.