Case Series
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A Case Series on Rhizopus homothallicus: An Emerging Zygomycete causing Mucormycosis |
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| Correspondence
Address : K Kavitha, 32 A, Ther Pillaiyar Koil Street, K.K Nagar, Villupuram-605602, Tamil Nadu, India. E-mail: sahanathirumurugan@gmail.com |
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| Mucormycosis is an acute opportunistic infection caused by various fungi belonging to the family Mucorales. The most common species causing this infection in humans are Rhizopus (R) species (spp.,) with R. oryzae and R. microsporus being the most prevalent. The authors here report a case series of infections caused by a very rare emerging zygomycete, Rhizopus homothallicus, in a tertiary care Institution in Southern India. The first case involved a 26-year-old male who developed cutaneous mucormycosis following trauma and surgery, with no underlying co-morbidities. The second case was a 40-year-old male, a diabetic, who had recovered from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and subsequently developed COVID-19-associated rhino-orbital mucormycosis. The third case was a 36-year-old male with a known history of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus who developed pulmonary mucormycosis. In all three cases, the authors isolated a very rare zygomycete that was identified as Rhizopus homothallicus. The first patient was successfully discharged, while the second and third patients succumbed to the infection on days 12 and 8, respectively. There has been an increased incidence of mucormycosis in all forms post-COVID-19, and fungi that were previously considered rare, such as R. homothallicus, are now being encountered more frequently. Microbiologists and clinicians must maintain vigilance for these cases to ensure appropriate and prompt diagnosis and treatment, as current evidence suggests that the mortality rate associated with R. homothallicus is lower compared to other Mucorales when diagnosed and treated early. The present case series was aimed to highlight the importance of identifying fungi to the species level in all situations and to emphasise that, with a larger population living with immunosuppression and the emergence of new pandemics like COVID-19 compared to previous years, there is a heightened risk of infections from lesser-known pathogenic fungi such as R. homothallicus. | ||||||
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