Abstract
Mycetoma is a chronic specific granulomatous subcutaneous inflammatory disease. It is caused by true fungi or by bacteria, and hence it is usually classified as eumycetoma and actinomycetoma, respectively. It is a serious health problem in many tropical and subtropical areas, and has many medical, social and economical impacts. The treatment of mycetoma depends mainly on its etiological agent and the extent of the disease. Actinomycetoma is amenable to medical treatment by antibiotics and antimicrobial agents, while the medical treatment of eumycetoma by various antifungals is inadequate and disappointing. Combined medical and surgical treatment is the gold standard in eumycetoma. In general, the current treatment for mycetoma is unsatisfactory, it needs a long duration to affect cure, has many side effects, has a high relapse rate and is expensive for patients and health authorities. Controlled clinical trials for novel antibiotics and antifungals are needed for the management of mycetoma patients.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.