Search bioRxiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/bioRxiv

bioRxiv · 10.1101/775767

Is Mycetoma a Vector-Borne Disease: The First Report on the Detection of Madurella mycetomatis in Ticks

Fahal, A.·RS, A.·SM, B.·AM, A.·Mohamed, A. H.·AH, F.
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Currently, there is a massive gap the mycetoma knowledge in particular in its epidemiological characteristics, the infection route, the predisposing factors and the host susceptibility. With this background, the present cross-sectional descriptive entomological study was conducted to determine the possible role of arthropod vectors in the transmission of eumycetoma as well as the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) among the villagers towards that in a mycetoma endemic village at Sennar State, Sudan.\n\nThe study showed an abundance of indoors and outdoors arthropod vectors, and that included ticks, mosquitoes, sandflies, cockroaches and houseflies in the studied area. Ticks were more frequent, and they belonged to three genera and four species, and the later included Hyalomma (H.) anatolicum (11.03%), Hyalomma (H.) rufipes (0.67%), Rhipicephalus (R.) everts (73.1%) and Amblyoma (A.) lepidium (15.2%). The different types of the collected arthropod vectors were pooled in groups, and each group was screened for the presence of the Madurella (M.) mycetomatis DNA, the most frequent causative agents of eumycetoma in the studied area. The DNA was extracted, and amplification of the genomic rRNA genes was done by using universal pan fungal primers and specific M. mycetomatis primers. One pool containing R. evertsi DNA samples and one sample of H. Rufipes DNA gave positive results following PCR amplification of the universal fungal positive primers while H. rufipes sample gave positive results for M. mycetomatis using a specific primer. An association between the animals dungs, ticks and mycetoma transmission can be suggested from this study. However, further in-depth studies are needed to verify that.\n\nAuthor summaryMycetoma is a severely neglected tropical disease characterised by painless subcutaneous tumour-like swellings frequently noted in the extremities. There is a massive knowledge gap in transmission, infection route, and historically, it is believed to be associated with minor trauma caused by thorn pricks. This study was designed to determine the possible role of arthropods in mycetoma transmission in an endemic area in Sudan during the cold dry season. Pools of medically important arthropods were screened for mycetoma causative agents using DNA based method. The villagers habits and knowledge on arthropod vectors were examined using a pre-designed questionnaire. The results showed various presences of many arthropod vectors. Ticks were found in high prevalence, and densities in domestic animals found inside houses and the villagers had high contact level with the ticks in comparison to other vectors. The study reports for the first time, the detection of the causative agents of mycetoma in a pool of ticks. More studies on the possible role of ticks in the transmission of mycetoma diseases are badly needed to delineate the possible role of ticks on transmission of mycetoma.

Explore related subjects

microbiologyPreprint

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Fahal, A., RS, A., SM, B., AM, A., Mohamed, A. H., AH, F.. 2019-09-19. Is Mycetoma a Vector-Borne Disease: The First Report on the Detection of Madurella mycetomatis in Ticks. https://doi.org/10.1101/775767

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related preprints

bioRxiv2026

Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Combined with Lateral Flow Assay (RT-LAMP-LFA) for Rapid Detection of the 2026 Bundibugyo Virus (BDBV) Outbreak Strain

Making accurate diagnosis is a critical first step in patient management and control for emerging and re-emerging disease outbreaks. Bundibugyo virus (BDBV) is a filovirus that causes Ebola disease, and the 2026 outbreak highlights the need for rapid diagnostic approaches that can be deployed in settings with limited laboratory infrastructure. Here, we developed a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification-lateral flow assay (RT-LAMP-LFA) for rapid detection of the 2026 BDBV outbreak strain. LAMP primers were designed based on the genome sequence of the 2026 outbreak strain, and the conservation of the primer binding sites among all available 2026 outbreak genomes was confirmed in silico. LAMP primers were evaluated for analytical specificity and sensitivity using in vitro-transcribed RNA (ivtRNA) from BDBV and other filoviruses, as well as RNA derived from arboviruses and mammalian cells. Amplification products were detected using a Chromatography-Printed Array Strip (C-PAS) lateral flow platform. The newly designed primers specifically detected the presence of BDBV RNA without nonspecific amplification of the other viral or cellular RNA samples tested. Consistent amplification was observed down to 103 copies per reaction. In addition, BDBV viral RNA was successfully amplified, and the amplification products were detected using C-PAS, with the total workflow being completed within 25 min. These findings demonstrate the analytical specificity and sensitivity of the developed RT-LAMP-LFA assay and its compatibility with rapid visual lateral flow detection, supporting its potential application as a point-of-care approach for BDBV detection.

microbiology↗
bioRxiv2026

Divergent methane production and microbial community responses to carbon enrichment in freshwater wetland sediments

Methane (CH4) accumulation in wetland sediments reflects interactions among organic matter, sediment chemistry, and microbial communities. We combined depth-resolved field characterization across four wetland habitats in northern Israel with complementary incubations to examine methane accumulation and responses to labile-carbon enrichment. Sediment cores were characterized using Rock-Eval analysis, porewater chemistry, oxygen profiling at three sites, and mcrA amplicon sequencing. High CH4 concentrations occurred under contrasting conditions: Ein Nimfit (EN) contained approximately 12% total organic carbon and reached 2.1 mM CH4, whereas Ein Afek site EA2 contained approximately 5% carbon and accumulated 0.7-1.7 mM CH4. Both showed sulfate depletion, but EN exhibited pronounced sulfide accumulation, whereas EA2 showed greater dissolved iron and nutrient enrichment. Their classified methanogenic assemblages also differed. EA1 remained methane poor despite increasing carbon content with depth, while EA3 combined low carbon content and CH4 accumulation with detectable methanogens and lower methanogenic diversity. In a 36-day bottle experiments using sediments from two of the four wetland habitats, sucrose-amended EA3 exhibited a transient maximum of 18.8 mmol collected CH4 kg-1 wet sediment during Days 22-29, whereas EN reached its highest collected amount during Days 29-36. Methane proportions increased before the large output increase in EA3 but remained comparatively stable and high in EN. Soluble chemical oxygen demand trajectories and microbial community changes also differed. These findings identify distinct biogeochemical settings supporting methane accumulation and demonstrate methanogenic potential in low-CH4 sediment, emphasizing the complementary information provided by field profiles, microbial characterization, and exploratory enrichment experiments.

microbiology↗
bioRxiv2026

The absence of microbiome in germ-free mice exacerbates the pathogenicity of mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 MA10

Germ-free mice, which are devoid of microbiota, provide a powerful system to define the contribution of the microbiome to host responses during infection. Severe COVID-19 outcomes are associated with multiple comorbidities that are themselves characterized by microbiome dysbiosis; however, the causal role of the microbiota in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis remains poorly understood. Here, we use germ-free mouse models to evaluate the impact of the microbiome on disease severity following infection with mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 MA10. Comparison with conventionally housed mice revealed that the absence of the microbiome markedly exacerbates SARS-CoV-2-induced disease in both C57BL/6 and Swiss Webster backgrounds. Germ-free mice exhibited greater weight loss, impaired lung function, worsened pulmonary pathology, and pronounced alterations in circulating cytokine and chemokine profiles compared with conventional controls. These findings show that resident microbiota limit SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity and establish germ-free COVID-19 models as a powerful platform to identify protective microbial taxa and microbiota-based interventions to reduce severe disease.

microbiology↗