An old confusion: Entomophthoromycosis versus mucormycosis and their main differences

Fungal diseases were underestimated for many years. And the global burden of fungal infections is substantial and has increased in recent years. Invasive fungal infections have been linked to several risk factors in humans which basically depend on the individual homeostasis of the patients. However, many fungi can infect even apparently healthy people. Knowledge of these pathogens is critical in reducing or stopping morbidity and/or mortality statistics due to fungal pathogens. Successful therapeutic strategies rely on rapid diagnosis of the causative fungal agent and the underlying disease. However, the terminology of the diseases was updated to existing phylogenetic classifications and led to confusion in the definition of mucormycosis, conidiobolomycosis, and basidiobolomycosis, which were previously grouped under the now-uncommon term zygomycosis. Therefore, the ecological, taxonomic, clinical, and diagnostic differences are addressed to optimize the understanding and definition of these diseases. The term "coenocytic hyphomycosis" is proposed to summarize all fungal infections caused by Mucorales and species of Basidiobolus and Conidiobolus.

Rhinomaxillary mucormycosis with cerebral extension

Mucormycosis is a rare opportunistic infection caused by fungus belonging to the order Mucorales. A case of a controlled diabetic male with rhino maxillary mucormycosis, with cerebral extension, is described. The patient presented with hemifacial swelling, a nasal twang in his voice, fever, ocular signs, gross tissue destruction, and was sluggish. Early recognition of mucormycosis is necessary to limit the spread of infection, which can lead to high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, health practitioners should be familiar with the signs and symptoms of the disease.

Cutaneous manifestations of deep mycosis: an experience in a tropical pathology laboratory

Background:

Cutaneous manifestations of deep mycotic infection are fraught with delayed or misdiagnosis from mainly cutaneous neoplastic lesions.

Aim:

This study is designed to present our experience of these mycoses in a pathology laboratory in the tropics.

Materials and Methods:

A clinicopathologic analysis of deep mycotic infections was conducted over a 15 years period Formalin fixed and paraffin wax processed biopsies were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid Schiff (PAS), and Grocott's methenamine silver (GMS) for the identification of fungus specie. Patients’ bio-data and clinical information were obtained from records.

Results:

Twenty males and seven females presented with 6 months to 6 years histories of varying symptoms of slow growing facial swellings, nodules, subcutaneous frontal skull swelling, proptosis, nasal blockage, epistaxis, discharging leg sinuses, flank mass, convulsion and pain. Of the 27 patients, four gave antecedent history of trauma, two had recurrent lesions which necessitated maxilectomy, two presented with convulsion without motor dysfunction while one had associated erosion of the small bones of the foot. None of the patients had debilitating illnesses such as diabetes mellitus, tuberculosis, and HIV infection. Tissue histology revealed histoplasmosis (10), mycetoma (9), subcutaneous phycomycosis (6), and phaeohyphomycosis (2).

Conclusion:

Deep mycoses may present primarily as cutaneous lesions in immunocompetent persons and often elicit distinct histologic inflammatory response characterized by granuloma formation. Diagnosis in resource constraint setting can be achieved with tissue stained with PAS and GMS which identifies implicated fungus. Clinical recognition and adequate knowledge of the pathology of these mycoses may reduce attendant patient morbidity.