MUCORMYCOSIS

MICROBIOLOGY AND EPIDEMIOLOGY

Mucormycosis is caused by fungi of the order Mucorales, most commonly Rhizopus oryzae and R. delemar; despite the name of the disease, Mucor species are only rarely the cause.

  • Mucorales have characteristic wide (≥6- to 30-µm), thick-walled, ribbon-like, aseptate hyphal elements that branch at right angles.
  • These ubiquitous environmental fungi primarily affect pts with diabetes, solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplants, prolonged neutropenia, malignancy, and deferoxamine treatment for iron overload syndromes.

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