Background: Mycetoma is a pathological process in which eumycotic (fungal) or actinomycotic causative agents from exogenous source produce grains. It follows penetrating injury inoculating soil organisms, occurring preferentially in rural areas usually among labourers who work barefoot. Mycetoma is a localized chronic, and deforming infectious disease of subcutaneous tissues, skin and bones. We report 130 cases of mycetoma in Senegal from 1983 to 2000.
Patients and methods: There were 130 patients with mycetoma. Clinical diagnosis of mycetoma was based on open tract sinuses, tumefaction or discharge of grain. Diagnosis confirmation was based on mycology and histology. An X-ray was preformed to detect bone lesions. Treatment was medical for actinomycetoma and surgical for eumycetoma.
Results: We observed 76 actinomycetoma and 54 eumycetoma (Sex ratio M/F=6.6; mean age=34.7 +/- 14.8 years). The mean duration before the first medical evaluation was 4.8 +/- 5.6 years. Actinomycetoma was due to Actinomadura pelletieri, (54 cases), Actinomadura madurae (17 cases) and Streptomyces somaliensis (5 cases). Eumycetoma was due to Madurella mycetomatis (38 cases), Leptospahria senegalensis (9 cases), Pseudoallescheria boydii (6 cases) and Rhinoclediella atrovirens (1 case). Clinical inflammatory features significantly associated with actinomyces (p<0.001 OR=2.64) were predominant (85 cases). Tumoral and cystic features were found in the others forms. Lesions were located on the foot in 81 patients. Bone lesions, depending on the duration, were observed in 68 patients. Neurological damage occurred in 3 patients with dorsolumbar actinomycetoma. Sixty-six patients with actinomycetoma were cured by medical treatment.
Discussion: The 130 cases of mycetoma were remarkable by the long duration of the disease before the first medical evaluation. Pain and tumor were the two main symptoms which brought the patients to the hospital and had appeared after 5 years duration and the predominance of actinomadura pelletieri actinomycetoma was responsible for 41.3 p. 100 of our cases. In Niger and Mauritania, mycetoma were actinomycetoma in respectively 71.2 p. 100 and 25 p. 100 of cases. The geographic distribution of pathogenic mycetoma agents was determined by the annual rainfall. Distinction between eumycetoma and actinomycetoma is very important for the treatment.