Mycetoma and the environment.

Mycetoma is a chronic, incapacitating, destructive inflammatory disease with many serious damaging impacts. Currently, there is no control or prevention program as many of its epidemiological characteristics, such as the causative organisms' ecological niche, natural habitat, primary reservoir,...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ahmed Hassan Fahal, Sahar Mubarak Bakhiet
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-11-01
Series:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0011736&type=printable
_version_ 1797394403809034240
author Ahmed Hassan Fahal
Sahar Mubarak Bakhiet
author_facet Ahmed Hassan Fahal
Sahar Mubarak Bakhiet
author_sort Ahmed Hassan Fahal
collection DOAJ
description Mycetoma is a chronic, incapacitating, destructive inflammatory disease with many serious damaging impacts. Currently, there is no control or prevention program as many of its epidemiological characteristics, such as the causative organisms' ecological niche, natural habitat, primary reservoir, transmission mode, geographical distribution, incidence, and prevalence, remain unclear. This may be due to a lack of research interest, as mycetoma is still a neglected disease and the scarcity of accurate molecular diagnostic techniques in disease-endemic regions for accurate causative microorganisms identification and mapping. With this background, this study set out to address this knowledge gap by considering the mycetoma environmental occurrence predictors. The medical literature obtained data showed a close association between mycetoma occurrence and its environment. The causative microorganisms are available in the environment in active or dormant forms. Animal dung may be a natural niche and reservoir for these organisms, and thorns may facilitate the subcutaneous inoculation. Some environmental factors, such as the soil type and consistency, temperature, water sources, aridity index, and thorny trees, may be risk factors. The population in endemic areas socioeconomic, hygiene, and health education status are contributory factors for mycetoma. The individual's genetic and immunological backgrounds may determine the disease's susceptibility and resistance. Environmental conditions and personal hygiene improvement are mandatory to reduce disease occurrence. Mycetoma spatial mapping can detect disease cluster areas and then develop public health strategies for early case detection and management to reduce the disease burden. More research interests and facilities are needed to understand disease pathogenesis and appropriate patient management better.
first_indexed 2024-03-09T00:18:10Z
format Article
id doaj.art-4c27894baaf142a7a1040f6cba55c9b8
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1935-2727
1935-2735
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-09T00:18:10Z
publishDate 2023-11-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
spelling doaj.art-4c27894baaf142a7a1040f6cba55c9b82023-12-12T05:39:13ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352023-11-011711e001173610.1371/journal.pntd.0011736Mycetoma and the environment.Ahmed Hassan FahalSahar Mubarak BakhietMycetoma is a chronic, incapacitating, destructive inflammatory disease with many serious damaging impacts. Currently, there is no control or prevention program as many of its epidemiological characteristics, such as the causative organisms' ecological niche, natural habitat, primary reservoir, transmission mode, geographical distribution, incidence, and prevalence, remain unclear. This may be due to a lack of research interest, as mycetoma is still a neglected disease and the scarcity of accurate molecular diagnostic techniques in disease-endemic regions for accurate causative microorganisms identification and mapping. With this background, this study set out to address this knowledge gap by considering the mycetoma environmental occurrence predictors. The medical literature obtained data showed a close association between mycetoma occurrence and its environment. The causative microorganisms are available in the environment in active or dormant forms. Animal dung may be a natural niche and reservoir for these organisms, and thorns may facilitate the subcutaneous inoculation. Some environmental factors, such as the soil type and consistency, temperature, water sources, aridity index, and thorny trees, may be risk factors. The population in endemic areas socioeconomic, hygiene, and health education status are contributory factors for mycetoma. The individual's genetic and immunological backgrounds may determine the disease's susceptibility and resistance. Environmental conditions and personal hygiene improvement are mandatory to reduce disease occurrence. Mycetoma spatial mapping can detect disease cluster areas and then develop public health strategies for early case detection and management to reduce the disease burden. More research interests and facilities are needed to understand disease pathogenesis and appropriate patient management better.https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0011736&type=printable
spellingShingle Ahmed Hassan Fahal
Sahar Mubarak Bakhiet
Mycetoma and the environment.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
title Mycetoma and the environment.
title_full Mycetoma and the environment.
title_fullStr Mycetoma and the environment.
title_full_unstemmed Mycetoma and the environment.
title_short Mycetoma and the environment.
title_sort mycetoma and the environment
url https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0011736&type=printable
work_keys_str_mv AT ahmedhassanfahal mycetomaandtheenvironment
AT saharmubarakbakhiet mycetomaandtheenvironment