Zygomycosis

Symptoms of rhinocerebral mucormycosis include:

• Eye swelling and protrusion (proptosis)
• Dark nasal eschar (scabbing)
• Fever
• Headache
• Redness of skin overlying sinuses
• Sinus pain or congestion

Symptoms of lung (pulmonary) mucormycosis include:

• Cough
• Coughing blood (occasionally)
• Fever
• Shortness of breath

Symptoms of gastrointestinal mucormycosis include:

• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting blood

Symptoms of kidney (renal) mucormycosis include:

• Fever
• Flank (side) pain

Symptoms of skin (cutaneous) mucormycosis include a single, painful, hardened area of skin that may have a blackened center.

Mucormycosis should be suspected if symptoms appear in individuals with weakened immune systems, such as organ transplant recipients. Symptoms of rhinocerebral mucormycosis are most likely to occur among immunosuppressed people.

Depending on where the symptoms are, CT scans or MRIs may be done. Evaluation by an ear-nose-throat specialist is recommended if sinus involvement is suspected.

A tissue specimen must be taken and analyzed in order to make a definitive diagnosis of mucormycosis.

Images

Fungus

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Mucormycosis Overview

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Mucormycosis Treatment

Review Date: 09/15/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)