Burden of mycetoma in Burkina Faso: case series and systematic review

Mycetoma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by progressive and devastating granulomatous subcutaneous tissue involvement. It primarily occurs in regions classified within the 'mycetoma belt', encompassing various countries. Notably, West African nations, including Burkina Faso (BF), are situated within this belt, yet there is a significant lack of data regarding mycetoma in these regions. With this background, this study set out to determine the mycetoma prevalence in BF. A comprehensive review was conducted to document the presence of mycetoma in BF. Searches were performed in PubMed, ScienceDirect, African Journals Online (AJOL) and Google Scholar databases. Data were reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Additionally, the study encompassed a case series involving three patients. From 1960 to 2024, 25 mycetoma cases have been documented in BF. Overall, the clinical cases share similar sociodemographic, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic and outcome characteristics. Specifically, these cases illustrate that mycetoma predominantly affects vulnerable groups in BF. The majority of mycetoma cases (96%) were reported in the Sahelian zone of BF. Predominantly, these cases (80%) had foot mycetoma. This study highlights the challenges of mycetoma management in BF, indicating significant obstacles in early diagnosis and effective treatment.