Recurrent mycetoma of the foot

Mycetoma, also known as madura foot, is a local, chronic, slowly progressive disease with the classic presentation involving tumefaction, multiple draining sinuses, and grain-filled pus. It is primarily produced by either a bacteria (actinomycetoma) or a fungal (eumycetoma) organism. Determining the causative organism is fundamental to the treatment process. All types of mycetoma infections should be treated with early surgical debridement and tissue culture. Tissue should be sent for gross, microscopic, and histopathologic evaluation. In addition to surgical management, these patients should be managed adjunctively with a prolonged course of chemotherapy. Patients with actinomycetoma are treated with an antibiotic and can expect to have a clinical cure with little chance for recurrence, whereas, patients with eumycetoma are treated with an antifungal agent and usually do poorly with a high rate of recurrence. The case presented involved an infection due to Actinomadura madurae (Nocardiaform madurae) and demonstrates successful treatment with surgical resection and prolonged doxycycline chemotherapy.