An Enigma of Lower Airway Mucormycosis Infection

Abstract

Saprophytic zygomycetes (e.g., Mucor, Rhizopus) are occasionally found in tissues of compromised hosts, in persons
suffering from diabetes mellitus (particularly acidosis), extensive burns, leukemia, lymphoma or other chronic illness or
immunosuppression. Rhizopus species, Mucor species and other zygomycetes invade the walls of blood vessels, producing
thrombosis. This occurs commonly in paranasal sinus, the lungs and result in ischemic necrosis of surrounding tissue with
an intense polymorphonuclear infiltrate. The organisms are rarely cultured during life but are seen in histologic preparations
of tissues as broad nonseptate, irregular hyphae in thrombosed vessels or sinuses with surrounding leukocyte and giant
cell response.