This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Ahmed, A.
Right arrow Articles by de Hoog, S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Ahmed, A.
Right arrow Articles by de Hoog, S.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 2002, p. 1031-1036, Vol. 40, No. 3
0095-1137/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.3.1031-1036.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Environmental Occurrence of Madurella mycetomatis, the Major Agent of Human Eumycetoma in Sudan

Abdalla Ahmed,1,2 Daniel Adelmann,3 Ahmed Fahal,4 Henri Verbrugh,2 Alex van Belkum,2* and Sybren de Hoog3

Institute for Endemic Diseases and Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences,1 Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan,4 Department of Medical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam (EMCR), Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam,2 Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands3

Received 13 July 2001/ Returned for modification 30 September 2001/ Accepted 14 December 2001

Madurella mycetomatis is the main causative agent of human eumycetoma, a severe debilitating disease endemic in Sudan. It has been suggested that eumycetoma has a soil-borne or thorn prick-mediated origin. For this reason, efforts were undertaken to culture M. mycetomatis from soil samples (n = 43) and thorn collections (n = 35) derived from areas in which it is endemic. However, ribosomal sequencing data revealed that the black fungi obtained all belonged to other fungal species. In addition, we performed PCR-mediated detection followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis for the identification of M. mycetomatis DNA from the environmental samples as well as biopsies from patients with mycetoma. In the case of the Sudanese soil samples, 17 out of 74 (23%) samples were positive for M. mycetomatis DNA. Among the thorn collections, 1 out of 22 (5%) was positive in the PCR. All PCR RFLP patterns clearly indicated the presence of M. mycetomatis. In contrast, 15 Dutch and English control soil samples were all negative. Clinically and environmentally obtained fungal PCR products share the same PCR RFLP patterns, suggesting identity, at least at the species level. These observations support the hypothesis that eumycetoma is primarily environmentally acquired and suggest that M. mycetomatis needs special conditions for growth, as direct isolation from the environment seems to be impossible.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Medical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Phone: 31-10-4635813. Fax: 31-10-4633875. E-mail: vanbelkum{at}bacl.azr.nl.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 2002, p. 1031-1036, Vol. 40, No. 3
0095-1137/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.3.1031-1036.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • van de Sande, W. W. J., Fahal, A., Verbrugh, H., van Belkum, A. (2007). Polymorphisms in Genes Involved in Innate Immunity Predispose Toward Mycetoma Susceptibility. J. Immunol. 179: 3065-3074 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • de Hoog, G.S., Nishikaku, A.S., Fernandez-Zeppenfeldt, G., Padin-Gonzalez, C., Burger, E., Badali, H., Richard-Yegres, N., van den Ende, A.H.G. G. (2007). Molecular analysis and pathogenicity of the Cladophialophora carrionii complex, with the description of a novel species. SIM 58: 219-234 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • van de Sande, W. W. J., Janse, D.-J., Hira, V., Goedhart, H., van der Zee, R., Ahmed, A. O. A., Ott, A., Verbrugh, H., van Belkum, A. (2006). Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein from Madurella mycetomatis, a Marker for Tumorous Mycetoma Progression. J. Immunol. 177: 1997-2005 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • (2006). Chronic Foot Infection in a Mexican Immigrant--Diagnosis. Arch Dermatol 142: 101-106 [Full Text]  
  • van de Sande, W. W. J., Gorkink, R., Simons, G., Ott, A., Ahmed, A. O. A., Verbrugh, H., van Belkum, A. (2005). Genotyping of Madurella mycetomatis by Selective Amplification of Restriction Fragments (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) and Subtype Correlation with Geographical Origin and Lesion Size. J. Clin. Microbiol. 43: 4349-4356 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ahmed, A., van de Sande, W., Verbrugh, H., Fahal, A., van Belkum, A. (2003). Madurella mycetomatis Strains from Mycetoma Lesions in Sudanese Patients Are Clonal. J. Clin. Microbiol. 41: 4537-4541 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»