title: Molecular identification of unusual Mycetoma agents isolated from patients in Venezuela.
abstract: Mycetoma is a chronic granulomatous, subcutaneous disease endemic in tropical and subtropical countries. It is currently a health problem in rural areas of Africa, Asia and South America. Nine cases of mycetoma were analysed in a retrospective study. All isolates were identified by morphological features. The level of species identification was reached by molecular tools. Definitive identification of fungi was performed using sequence analysis of the ITS of the ribosomal DNA region and the ribosomal large-subunit D1/D2. Identification of actinomycetes was accomplished by the 16S rRNA gene sequence. Six unusual clinical isolates were identified: Aspergillus ustus, Cyphellophora oxyspora, Exophiala oligosperma, Madurella pseudomycetomatis, Nocardia farcinica and Nocardia wallacei. The prevalence of mycetoma in Venezuela remains unknown. This study represents the first report in the literature of mycetoma caused by unusual pathogens identified by molecular techniques.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, División de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Monterrey, San Pedro Garza GarcíaNuevo León, Mexico.|Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
authors.forename: Olga C
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7717-7072
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, División de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Monterrey, San Pedro Garza GarcíaNuevo León, Mexico.
authors.forename: Rafael B R
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1639-6869
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: León-Cachón
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, División de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Monterrey, San Pedro Garza GarcíaNuevo León, Mexico.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moreno-Treviño
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
authors.forename: Gloria M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: González
mesh_terms: D039903:Actinobacteria / Q000235:genetics; D000192:Actinomycetales / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics*; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D005093:Exophiala / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D020461:Madurella / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008271:Mycetoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D009615:Nocardia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014687:Venezuela / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: Molecular identification; Mycetoma; Unusual pathogens; Venezuela