A survey was carried out in Mexico to determine the incidence and epidemiological characteristics of mycetoma. Data was collected from a total of 2105 cases of mycetoma throughout a 30 year period (1956-1985), with an average incidence of 70 cases per year. Results showed a sex distribution of 76.1% male and 23.9% females. Age distribution indicated a 35% between 16 to 30 and 23% between 31 to 40 year old population. Most cases occurred in land-workers (60.2%) and in housewives with rural residence (21.3%). Lesions occurred most frequently in lower limbs (64.1%), trunk (17.4%) and upper limbs (13.6%). The geographic distribution within Mexico revealed that the States with the highest incidence were: Jalisco, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosi, Morelos and Guerrero The predominant etiologic agents found 97.8% corresponded to actinomycetes, from which Nocardia brasiliensis (86.6%) and Actinomadura madurae (10.2%) showed the higher frequency. Eumycetoma (2.2%) was due to Madurella grisea and M. mycetomatis in most cases.
