Related Experiment Videos
Mycetoma in children: experience with 15 cases
Alexandro Bonifaz1, Guadalupe Ibarra, Amado Saúl
1Mycology Department, Hospital General de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico. a_bonifaz@yahoo.com.mx
The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|January 2, 2007
Summary
Mycetoma infections are rare in children, with actinomycetomas being more common than eumycetomas. Early diagnosis and treatment, particularly for actinomycetomas, lead to better outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Medical Mycology
- Infectious Diseases
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Mycetoma is a chronic infection caused by aerobic actinomycetes and filamentous fungi.
- It is an occupational disease prevalent in tropical regions, rarely affecting children.
- Understanding pediatric mycetoma is crucial due to its distinct clinical and etiological profiles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the clinical characteristics, etiology, and treatment outcomes of mycetoma in children.
- To evaluate the diagnostic approaches and therapeutic responses in pediatric mycetoma cases.
- To highlight the epidemiological differences between actinomycetoma and eumycetoma in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- A 25-year retrospective study of mycetoma cases in children under 15 years old.
- Clinical evaluation and microbiological confirmation including direct examination, culture, and biochemical tests.
- Review of treatment strategies and patient outcomes.
Main Results:
- Fifteen pediatric mycetoma cases (4.5% of total) were identified (mean age 11.2 years).
- Actinomycetomas (13 cases) were more frequent than eumycetomas (2 cases), predominantly caused by Nocardia brasiliensis.
- Treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole plus diaminodiphenylsulfone showed high cure rates for actinomycetomas; eumycetomas had variable responses.
Conclusions:
- Mycetoma is uncommon in children, with actinomycetomas being the predominant form in this age group.
- Simple clinical and microbiological methods facilitate diagnosis.
- Actinomycetomas generally exhibit a better treatment response compared to eumycetomas in children.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Cryptococcal Meningitis
Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
01:26Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.
01:28Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
01:23Skin Diseases and Disorders
Skin is the first line of defense and encounters a variety of microbes. Some pathogenic strains are often the cause of a broad range of infections of the skin and other body systems. These conditions can affect people of all ages and may have different causes, including genetic factors, infections, autoimmune reactions, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices.
Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...
Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...
01:28Amebiasis
Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis. Though a significant proportion of infections remain asymptomatic, approximately 50 million individuals annually are estimated to present with clinical disease, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths globally. The disease burden is disproportionately high in regions with lower socioeconomic status, such as parts of India, Africa, Mexico, and Latin America.Etiology and TransmissionThe infective...
01:28Fungal Phylum Microsporidia
Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...