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Mucormycosis represents a group of life-threatening infections caused by fungi of the order Mucorales of the subphylum Mucoromycotina (formerly known as the class Zygomycetes). Infection caused by the Mucorales is most accurately referred to as mucormycosis, although the term zygomycosis may still be used by some sources. Mucormycosis is highly invasive and relentlessly progressive, resulting in higher rates of morbidity and mortality than many other infections. However, recent studies have suggested that mortality rates from mucormycosis have declined with newer therapies. A high index of suspicion is critical for diagnosis, and early initiation of therapy—often before confirmation of the diagnosis—is necessary to optimize outcomes.
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Fungi of the order Mucorales belong to seven medically relevant families (Table 117-1), all of which can cause mucormycosis. Among the Mucorales, Rhizopus oryzae (in the family Mucoraceae) is by far the most common cause of infection in the Western Hemisphere. Less frequently isolated species of the Mucoraceae that cause a similar spectrum of infections include Rhizopus microsporus, Rhizomucor pusillus, Lichtheimia corymbifera (formerly Absidia corymbifera), Apophysomyces elegans, and Mucor species (which, despite its name, only rarely causes mucormycosis). Increasing numbers of cases of mucormycosis due to infection with Cunninghamella species (family Cunninghamellaceae) have also been reported, particularly in highly immunocompromised patients. Rare case reports have demonstrated the ability of fungi in the remaining families of the Mucorales to cause mucormycosis, although other Mucorales can be the major cause of disease in certain geographic areas (e.g., A. elegans in India and Mucor irregularis in China).
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The Mucorales are ubiquitous environmental fungi to which humans are constantly exposed. These fungi cause infection primarily in patients with diabetes or defects in phagocytic function (e.g., those associated with neutropenia or glucocorticoid treatment). Patients with elevated levels of free iron, which supports fungal growth in serum and tissues, are likewise at increased risk for mucormycosis. In iron-overloaded patients with end-stage renal failure, treatment with deferoxamine predisposes to the development of rapidly fatal disseminated mucormycosis; this agent, an iron chelator for the human host, serves as a fungal siderophore, directly delivering iron to the Mucorales. Furthermore, patients with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) are at high risk of developing rhinocerebral mucormycosis. The acidosis causes dissociation of iron from sequestering proteins in serum, resulting in enhanced fungal survival and virulence. Nevertheless, the majority of diabetic patients who present with mucormycosis are not acidotic, and, even absent acidosis, hyperglycemia directly contributes to the risk ...