31Currently, there is a massive gap the mycetoma knowledge in particular in its 32 epidemiological characteristics, the infection route, the predisposing factors and the 33 host susceptibility. With this background, the present cross-sectional descriptive 34 entomological study was conducted to determine the possible role of arthropod 35 vectors in the transmission of eumycetoma as well as the knowledge, attitude and 36 practice (KAP) among the villagers towards that in a mycetoma endemic village at 37 Sennar State, Sudan. 38The study showed an abundance of indoors and outdoors arthropod vectors, and 39 that included ticks, mosquitoes, sandflies, cockroaches and houseflies in the studied 40 area. Ticks were more frequent, and they belonged to three genera and four 41 species, and the later included Hyalomma (H.) anatolicum (11.03%), Hyalomma (H.) 42 rufipes (0.67%), Rhipicephalus (R.) everts (73.1%) and Amblyoma (A.) lepidium 43 (15.2%). The different types of the collected arthropod vectors were pooled in 44 groups, and each group was screened for the presence of the Madurella (M.) 45 mycetomatis DNA, the most frequent causative agents of eumycetoma in the studied 46 area. The DNA was extracted, and amplification of the genomic rRNA genes was 47 done by using universal pan fungal primers and specific M. mycetomatis primers. 48 One pool containing R. evertsi DNA samples and one sample of H. Rufipes DNA 49 gave positive results following PCR amplification of the universal fungal positive50 primers while H. rufipes sample gave positive results for M. mycetomatis using a 51 specific primer. An association between the animals' dungs, ticks and mycetoma 3 52 transmission can be suggested from this study. However, further in-depth studies 53 are needed to verify that. 54 55 Keywords 56 Mycetoma; eumycetoma; arthropods; vector-borne disease; transmission; Madurella 57 mycetomatis; ticks; Sudan. 58 59 Author summary 60Mycetoma is a severely neglected tropical disease characterised by painless 61 subcutaneous tumour-like swellings frequently noted in the extremities. There is a 62 massive knowledge gap in transmission, infection route, and historically, it is 63 believed to be associated with minor trauma caused by thorn pricks. This study was 64 designed to determine the possible role of arthropods in mycetoma transmission in 65 an endemic area in Sudan during the cold dry season. Pools of medically important 66 arthropods were screened for mycetoma causative agents using DNA based 67 method. The villagers' habits and knowledge on arthropod vectors were examined 68 using a pre-designed questionnaire. The results showed various presences of many 69 arthropod vectors. Ticks were found in high prevalence, and densities in domestic 70 animals found inside houses and the villagers had high contact level with the ticks in 71 comparison to other vectors. The study reports for the first time, the detection of the 72 causative agents of mycetoma in a pool of ticks. More studies on the possible role of 73 ticks in the ...