The bacteria can infect humans and some other animals, causing persistent open wounds called Buruli ulcer.

M. ulcerans is closely related to Mycobacterium marinum, from which it evolved around one million years ago, and more distantly to the mycobacteria which cause tuberculosis and leprosy.

[1] On laboratory media, M. ulcerans grow slowly, forming small transparent colonies after four weeks.

[5] Additionally, M. ulcerans has acquired a 174 kilobase plasmid, termed "pMUM001", which is involved in the production of the toxin mycolactone.

[5] Other closely related mycobacteria produce mycolactone and infect various aquatic animals; these are sometimes described as distinct species (M. pseudoshottsii, M. liflandii, M. shinshuense and sometimes M. marinum) and sometimes as different lineages of M. ulcerans.