A patient from Bangladesh presents with a chronic painful foot that has multiple draining sinuses. Grains are expressed from the sinuses. The clinicia...

Question

A patient from Bangladesh presents with a chronic painful foot that has multiple draining sinuses. Grains are expressed from the sinuses. The clinician wants to determine whether this is eumycetoma (fungal) or actinomycetoma (bacterial). What is the most reliable initial test?

Accepted Answer

Examination of crushed grains by microscopy: fungal grains show broad (2-5 µm) septate hyphae, while actinomycete grains show fine (

Answer

Serology

Answer

PCR for Plasmodium

Answer

CT scan of the foot

Answer

Mantoux test

uk-dtmh MCQ (SBA): Eumycetoma vs Actinomycetoma Grain Microscopy

A patient from Bangladesh presents with a chronic painful foot that has multiple draining sinuses. Grains are expressed from the sinuses. The clinician wants to determine whether this is eumycetoma (fungal) or actinomycetoma (bacterial). What is the most reliable initial test?