PARASITES OF MYCETOMA 665 



[By inoculating pus from the lesion and pure cultures of the organism 

 Musgrave and Clegg reproduced a typical mycetoma in the feet of three 

 monkeys (Macacus philippinensis). Intra-peritoneal inoculation proved 

 fatal to monkeys, dogs and guinea-pigs. Sub-cutaneous inoculation was 

 not followed by generalization of the disease.] 



XI. DISCOMYCES BRASILIENSIS. 



[Discomyces brasiliensis was isolated by Lindenberg from a case of myce- 

 toma. It is strictly aerobic ; it grows poorly at 37 C. but at ordinary room 

 temperature grows well on all ordinary media. The organism does not 

 appear to be pathogenic to rabbits, guinea-pigs and pigeons.] 



The parasites of Mycetoma. 



Syn. Madura foot. [Actinomycosis. Pseudo-actinomycosis.] 



The endemic disease of warm climates for a long time inappropriately 

 described as Madura foot, and now at Laveran's suggestion known as Mycetoma, 

 comprises several clinical varieties : the white or ochroid, the black or melanoid 

 and the red. As the result of the investigations of Vincent, mycetoma was 

 considered to be due solely to an infection with a single species of Discomyces 

 (D. madurce Vincent) but more recent researches have shown that though 

 infection with D. madurce may be the commonest cause of mycetoma, many 

 cases are caused by other and very different species of fungi. 



The white variety is due to the following parasites stated in the order of 

 the frequency with which they occur, viz. : Discomyces madurce, [Indiella 

 somaliensis, which is perhaps even more common in India than D. madurce 

 (Manson)], Sterygmatocystis nidulans, Indiella mansoni, Indiella reynieri, and 

 occasionally Discomyces bovis (actinomycotic mycetoma), [Discomyces freeri 

 and Discomyces brasiliensis]. 



The melanoid variety is caused by two parasites, Aspergillus bouffardi and 

 Madurella mycetomi, which though provisionally regarded as distinct are 

 probably identical species. 



In a case of mycetoma of the red variety, Laveran and Pelletieri found 

 zoogloea masses of pink micrococci (M. pelletieri). 



Aspergillary mycetomata. White varieties. Nicolle has recorded a case 

 of mycetoma in Tunis due to Sterygmatocystis (Aspergillus) nidulans (p. 699). 

 The grains, yellowish-white in colour, some as large as a pea, were more or 

 less spherical and had a smooth surface. Microscopically they consisted of 

 large septate mycelial filaments. 



[Indiella somaliensis l is described by Brumpt as being the infecting agent 

 in two cases of white mycetoma observed by Bouffard in Somaliland. This 

 form of the disease appears to be very wide-spread in India.] 



Indiella mansoni 1 described by Brumpt in a case of mycetoma in India 

 and Indiella reynieri found by Reynier in a case in Paris appear to be closely 

 related to Sterygmatocystis nidulans. 



Melanoid variety. Cases of melanoid mycetoma characterized by the 

 presence of lesions with small, brittle, irregular-shaped black grains have 

 been reported from Africa (French Soudan arid Senegal), Italy [and India], 

 and were due to a species of Aspergillus, 1 Madurella mycetomi (Laveran). 



[* The provisional genera Indiella and Madurella are classified by Brumpt with the 

 Hypomycetes. These parasites have certain affinities with the genera Aspergillus and 

 Sterygmatocystis (Brumpt).] 



