What is mucormycosis?
Definition Mucormycosis is a rare but often fatal disease caused by certain fungi. It is sometimes called zygomycosis or phycomycosis. Mucormycosis is an opportunistic infection that typically develops in patients with weakened immune systems, diabetes, kidney failure, organ transplants, or chemotherapy for cancer. It may also develop in patients receiving an iron chelating drug called desferrioxamine (Desferal) as treatment for acute iron poisoning. Description In the United States, mucormycosis is most likely to develop in the patient’s nasal area or in the lungs; however, it may also develop on the skin or in the digestive tract. Gastrointestinal disease usually develops only in severely malnourished patients. Cutaneous mucormycosis is most likely to develop under occlusive surgical dressings. Occlusive dressings are intended to keep air out of incisions or other wounds, but they also trap body heat and moisture. The incidence of the disease is difficult to evaluate because it is ve
