HYPERBARIC ZYGOMYCOTIC INFECTIONS

Course overview

INVASIVE ZYGOMYCOSIS, OR MUCORMYCOSIS, ARE A GROUP OF INFECTIONS CAUSED BY FUNGI IN THE ORDER MUCORALES. THE MOST COMMON SPECIES THAT CAUSE INFECTION ARE THE RHIZOPUS SPECIES FROM THE MUCORACEAE FAMILY. THE DISEASE IS AGGRESSIVE AND COMMONLY FATAL DESPITE APPROPRIATE TREATMENT. INFECTION WITH MUCORMYCOSIS IS EXTREMELY RARE IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS; INFECTIONS OCCUR ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY IN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PATIENTS. IT HAS AN ESPECIALLY HIGH PREDILECTION IN DIABETICS WHO ARE IN KETOACIDOSIS, AS THE ACIDIC ENVIRONMENT CONTRIBUTES TO FUNGAL GROWTH. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PRESENTATION OF ZYGOMYCOSIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.