Cases of the ‘flesh-eating’ Buruli ulcer have increased significantly in Victoria over recent years. Until 2015 there were less than 100 cases annually; however, since 2017, there have now been between 200 and 340 cases every year. But what exactly is this illness, why is it described as ‘flesh-eating’ and is it a cause for concern?

What it is: Wounds are damage or breaks of the skin and are common at the end of life. Wounds include: pressure ulcers, ischemic wounds, skin tears and skin changes.

Skin changes, including pressure ulcers and skin tears, are common near the end of life. Learn how regular repositioning, hydration, and early treatment can help manage these issues.

Identifying the wound type, setting a clear aim for management and then selecting a product or device remains the mainstay of wound management. There are, of course, many other factors to be considered when addressing patients with wounds, and reviewing a wound in isolation from these other factors may lead to poor healing progress.

Acid-fast bacilli (AFB) are rod shaped bacteria. They get their name because they can be seen and counted under the microscope when smeared on a slide and tr

The start of summer in Australia is an important time for nurses to turn their focus to the skin. Australia has one of the highest skin cancer rates worldwide, with the Cancer Council Australia forecasting that at least two out of three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. Luckily, skin cancer is visible, mostly preventable and curable when detected and treated early.

Reproduced with permission from The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. The skin of people is less resilient and more prone to damage as we age

While melanoma is a serious and potentially life-threatening type of skin cancer, it can be effectively treated if addressed quickly enough. For this reason, being able to detect and treat melanoma early is crucial - especially in Australia and New Zealand, where melanoma rates are the highest in the world.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second-most common type of skin cancer after basal cell carcinoma (BCC), accounting for about 33% of skin cancers. While cSCC is a less serious form of skin cancer than melanoma, it can grow quickly and spread, causing potentially serious complications if untreated.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of skin cancer but the least serious. If addressed early, BCC can be easily resolved in most cases.