Mycetoma

Last Updated: 2023-07-07

Author(s): Anzengruber F., Navarini A.

ICD11: 1G60.0

  • Gill, 1842
  • Carter, 1861

Madura foot, Mycetoma.

Chronic fungal infection which is confined to the skin and is sometimes tumour-like.

  • Worldwide, especially in tropical and subtropical areas (South America, India, Africa)
  • Men:women = 5:1
  • Mainly among rural populations
  • In Europe, Bulgaria and Romania are particularly affected

  • Exciter
    • Bacteria e.g
      • Actinomyces spp. (e.g.: A. israeli, A. bovis)
      • Nocardia spp. (N. brasiliensis, N. asteroides)
    • Fungi: Madurella (e.g. Madurella mycetomi, Madurella grisea)
    • Pseudallescheria
  • The pathogens, which are mostly localised on plants, can penetrate through skin lesions (mostly when walking barefoot)

  • Tumour-like skin changes, swellings, fistulous ducts and discharge of blackish, whitish or yellowish granules (drusen)
  • Frequently, secondary impetiginisation
    • is seen

  • Clinic
  • Drusen pathogen detection
  • Myco. smear
  • Biopsy

  • V.a. on the feet (madura foot)

Unfavourable, usually lethal in organ infestation.

  1. Foltz, K.D. and L.M. Fallat, Madura foot: atypical finding and case presentation. J Foot Ankle Surg, 2004. 43(5): p. 327-31.
  2. Paugam, A., et al., Clinical cure of fungal madura foot with oral itraconazole. Cutis, 1997. 60(4): p. 191-3.
  3. Sharma, A.M., et al., Case report: Non-invasive management of Madura foot with oral posaconazole and ciprofloxacin. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 2014. 91(6): p. 1259-62.
  4. Afroz, N., et al., Eumycetoma versus actinomycetoma: Diagnosis on cytology. J Cytol, 2010. 27(4): p. 133-5.