Vic doctors on alert for flesh-eating bug

A worsening ulcer epidemic in Victoria has prompted the state's deputy chief health officer to tell doctors to be on the lookout for signs of the infection.

Victorian doctors are on alert for symptoms of a mysterious flesh-eating bug after an unprecedented upturn in the number of cases.

The state's deputy chief health officer Brett Sutton issued the alert to health professionals on Friday, telling them to "consider" a Buruli ulcer diagnosis - caused by the bacteria - for patients with a persistent ulcer or skin swelling.

New figures released on Monday show Victoria has a worsening epidemic of Buruli ulcer infections with 182 new cases in 2016, 275 in 2017 and 30 so far in 2018 - compared with fewer than 100 cases in 2012.