The First Case of Fusarium falciforme Eumycetoma in Sudan and an Extensive Literature Review about Treatment Worldwide

Abstract

Eumycetoma is an infectious disease caused by various fungal pathogens. The disease is characterised by black and pale-yellowish grain discharge. In this communication, we report a case of eumycetoma with a pale grain foot-eumycetoma caused by Fusarium falciforme. The patient presented at the outpatient clinic of the Mycetoma Research Centre in Sudan. The causative agent was initially misidentified as Aspergillus nidulans based on its seemingly similar histopathological appearance. However, sequencing the internally transcribed spacer region of the extracted grain confirmed infection with Fusarium falciforme. Although the patient received Itraconazole and underwent surgical excision, the disease was recurrent. To our knowledge, this is the first report on Fusarium falciforme causing eumycetoma in Sudan, indicating the expansion of the geographical distribution of this pathogen. This calls for raising the awareness of healthcare providers and improving the diagnostic and surveillance systems in at-risk areas to improve the case management and reduce the threat of further spread. Considering the potential impacts of F. falciforme infection including threatening the global health, food security, and ecosystem balance, as well as loss of biodiversity and negative socioeconomic changes in endemic countries, we recommend the implementation of an integrated transdisciplinary One Health strategy for the prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases including F. falciforme.

The first Helicobacter pylori‐induced Guillain–Barré syndrome in Sudan

“…There is an extremely urgent need for improving the diagnostic capacity in countries like Sudan, where heavy burden of wide range of infectious diseases that are involved in the development of GBS 1,13,14 . Particularly, due to this similarity it is very common that infections are initially misdiagnosed and treated for the wrong infection 42–45 . Therefore, it might be useful to explore the feasibility of leveraging the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the diagnosis and surveillance of infectious diseases, particularly in such complicated settings 46 .…”

“…However, to reduce the burden of GBS, countries must invest in implementing effective prevention and control strategies for the endemic infectious diseases that are involved in the development of GBS. These strategies include effective vector surveillance and control, vaccinations, and improved diagnostic and surveillance systems 42–51 …”

Unusual manifestation of cystic mycetoma lesions: A case report

“… 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 This atypical presentation of infectious diseases including mycetoma highlights the need for improving the diagnostic capacity particularly in areas endemic with more than one of infectious diseases with overlapping symptoms. 6 , 20 , 21 This improvement needs to be at the education and continuous training of healthcare providers as well as the infrastructure and integrating the use of more robust diagnostic tools such as molecular and genomic sequencing in these endemic areas. 12 Healthcare providers in such settings should be highly skeptical and try to thoroughly examine their patients and carefully revising their travel and medical history.…”