**7. Immune profile of BU patients undergoing antibiotic treatment**

BU is curable [80], but treatment could take months if not diagnosed early [80]. Like many bacterial infection, appropriate antimicrobial medications is required in killing *M. ulcerans* to wane off mycolactone production [81, 82]. Currently, 8 weeks of oral rifampicin, is the preferred antibiotic regimen in many medical centres [46, 83]. Like mycolactone, rifampicin is a polyketide, and functions to inhibit the ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase activity of bacteria [84]. Thus leading to the shutdown of important amino acids, protein synthesis and inhibiting the growth of the bacillus [84]. Other medications/treatment tested or used in combination with rifampicin include Streptomycin, Oral Fluoroquinolones [85], Amikacin [86], Clofazimine [87], Co-trimoxazole [87], Ofloxacin [87], Cephalosporin [87], Penicillin [87], Metronidazol [87], Minocyclin [87], dapsone [87], Phenytoin powder [88], Topical nitrogen oxides, mycobacteriophage D29 [89], clay and local heat [87]. Cytokine profile of patients undergoing antibiotic treatment have shown that there is gradual re-establishment of Th1 immune response during the healing process [90]. These inflammatory biomarkers include IL-4, IL-7 and IL-8 [90].
