Mucormycosis

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Fungus

Zygomycosis

The mainstay of treatment for mucormycosis is early surgical intervention to remove all dead and infected tissue, along with intravenous antifungal therapy. Surgical removal of involved tissue is critical and may be disfiguring because it may involve removal of the palate, nasal structures, or eye structures.

However, chances of survival are greatly decreased without this aggressive intervention.

Mucormycosis has an extremely high mortality rate even with aggressive surgical intervention. Death rates range from 25-80% depending on the site involved as well as the underlying immune problems.

• Loss of neurological function (nerve involvement)
• Clotting/blockage of brain or lung vessels (thrombosis)
• Blindness (if the optic nerve is involved)

People with immune disorders (including diabetes) should seek medical attention if they develop fever, headache, sinus pain, eye swelling, or any of the other symptoms listed above.

Review Date: 10/09/2006
Reviewed By: D. Scott Smith, M.D., MSc, DTM&H, Chief of Infectious Disease & Geographic Medicine, Kaiser Redwood City, CA & Adjunct Assistant Professor, Stanford University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.