Management of mycetomas in France

Abstract

Objective of the study: Mycetomas are chronic sub-cutaneous tropical infections in which exogenous causative agents, fungal (eumycetes) or bacterial (actinomycetes), generate grains. The typical presentation is multi-fistulized pseudotumors. This disease, particularly eumycetoma, is difficult to treat. It is a major health problem in tropical and subtropical countries. In France, the disease is rare, but patients have access to a broader range of treatments. The authors had for objective to present the cases of mycetomas diagnosed in developed country and their management.

Patients and methods: A retrospective study was made on the clinical presentation and management of mycetomas from 1995 to 2011, in the Bobigny Avicenne teaching hospital.

Results: Six patient files were studied. The patients were men with a median age of 31 years (16-70). Five patients were from Sub Saharan Africa, one from Sri Lanka. The etiologies were one actinomycetoma and five eumycetomas. There was bone involvement in five cases. There was one atypical presentation: a primary intra-osseous mycetoma. Three patients were cured including two by surgical management and one by medical treatment (actinomycetoma). Antifungal therapy failed (four patients) in every case (voriconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, terbinafine, caspofungin).

Conclusion: The results of this study made in a non-epidemic zone revealed that despite a typical clinical presentation, the diagnosis and management were delayed because this imported disease is rare in France. The patients received new broad-spectrum triazole and caspofungin, but none were cured with antifungal therapy alone.

Keywords: Actinomycetoma; Actinomycétome; Eumycetoma; Eumycétome; France; Mycetoma; Mycétome.