Abstract
Mucormycoses were difficult-to-manage infections owing to limited diagnostic tools and therapeutic options. We review here advances in pathology understanding, diagnostic tools including computed tomography, and serum polymerase chain reaction and therapeutic options.
Highlights
Mucormycoses are life-threatening fungal infections mostly occurring in hematology, solid organ transplant, or diabetic patients, it may affect immunocompetent patients following a trauma or burn[1]
Mucormycosis is characterized by host tissue infarction and necrosis resulting from vasculature invasion by hyphae starting with a specific interaction with endothelial cells
It is currently necessary in patients with hematological malignancies to include the value of reverse halo sign on computed tomography (CT) combined with serum quantitative multiplex polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) targeting Mucorales in the early diagnosis of pulmonary mucormycosis[33]
Summary
Mucormycoses are life-threatening fungal infections mostly occurring in hematology, solid organ transplant, or diabetic patients, it may affect immunocompetent patients following a trauma or burn[1]. Other studies have evaluated the use of real-time PCR targeting Mucorales on tissue or respiratory samples in patients with hematological malignancy suffering from proven and probable mucormycosis[29,30,31,32] It is currently necessary in patients with hematological malignancies to include the value of reverse halo sign on CT combined with serum qPCR targeting Mucorales in the early diagnosis of pulmonary mucormycosis[33]. Some authors proposed a lipid Amb treatment for at least three weeks, and, when there is clinical and radiological improvement, a consolidation by posaconazole can be started[43] It could possibly be guided by negative PCR and shortened for some patients.
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