Mycetoma laboratory diagnosis: Review article

Abstract

Mycetoma is a unique neglected tropical disease caused by a substantial number of microorganisms of fungal or bacterial origins. Identification of the causative organism and the disease extension are the first steps in the management of the affected patients and predicting disease treatment outcome and prognosis.Different laboratory-based diagnostic tools and techniques were developed over the years to determine and identify the causative agents. These include direct microscopy and cytological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical techniques in addition to the classical grain culture. More recently, various molecular-based techniques have joined the mycetoma diagnostic armamentarium. The available mycetoma diagnostic techniques are of various specificity and sensitivity rates. Most are invasive, time consuming, and operator dependent, and a combination of them is required to reach a diagnosis. In addition, they need a well-equipped laboratory and are therefore not field friendly.This review aims to provide an update on the laboratory investigations used in the diagnosis of mycetoma. It further aims to assist practising health professionals dealing with mycetoma by outlining the guidelines developed by the Mycetoma Research Centre, University of Khartoum, WHO collaborating centre on mycetoma following a cumulative experience of managing more than 7,700 mycetoma patients.

<p>Species Diversity, Molecular Characterization, and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Opportunistic Actinomycetes Isolated from Immunocompromised and Healthy Patients of Markazi Province of Iran</p>

“…8,9 The conventional diagnosis of actinomycetes infections has been done by a combination of clinical and microbiological methods, however they are often non-specific and require invasive diagnostic biopsy procedures, though isolation and accurate characterization of isolates are difficult. 10 Recent advances in microbiological and molecular methods in disease diagnosis and identification of bacterial isolates improve the outcomes of infected patients, helping clinicians and clinical microbiology personnel with the earliest possible diagnosis; and the evaluation of newer effective drug therapies for these patients. 10,11 Due to this issue nowadays for isolation and identification of actinomycetes species used the various molecular method such as sequence analysis of housekeeping gene included 16SrRNA and rpoB gene etc, DNA-DNA hybridization and direct amplification of specific gene such as hsp65 and ITS gene.…”

“…10 Recent advances in microbiological and molecular methods in disease diagnosis and identification of bacterial isolates improve the outcomes of infected patients, helping clinicians and clinical microbiology personnel with the earliest possible diagnosis; and the evaluation of newer effective drug therapies for these patients. 10,11 Due to this issue nowadays for isolation and identification of actinomycetes species used the various molecular method such as sequence analysis of housekeeping gene included 16SrRNA and rpoB gene etc, DNA-DNA hybridization and direct amplification of specific gene such as hsp65 and ITS gene. 12,14 Despite the abundance of reports in the scientific literature regarding the isolation of actinomycetes from both clinical samples and non-hospitalized patients around the world, 15,17 few studies have investigated the isolation and identification of actinomycetes species in clinical samples from Iran.…”

Is Mycetoma a Vector-Borne Disease: The First Report on the Detection of Madurella mycetomatis in Ticks

“…Mycetoma is a chronic specific granulomatous progressive subcutaneous inflammatory disease, of both bacterial (actinomycetoma) and fungal (eumycetoma) origin [1]. The most common causative agents include the fungus Madurella mycetomatis and the actinomycetes Nocardia brasiliensis, Actinomadura madurae, Streptomyces somaliensis , and Actinomadura pelletierii [2]. Mycetoma is endemic in many tropical and subtropical regions, and Sudan is reported to have the highest incidence [3].…”

Immunoinformatics Prediction of Epitope Based Peptide Vaccine AgainstMadurella mycetomatis Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein

“…The level of antibodies is directly proportional to lesion size and duration of the disease (17). Different laboratory-based diagnostic techniques and tools were developed to determine and identify the causative agents of mycetoma (18). Early detection and treatment are important to reduce morbidity and improve treatment outcomes (5,16).…”