Infection by fungi of the genus Mucor is a rare, opportunistic infection that progresses rapidly and can be fatal, especially in immunosuppressed patients or those with chronic debilitating diseases.
You can read the article by Mr. Kyriakopoulos and his colleagues, published in the National Library of Medicine, which presents six cases of trauma patients who developed mucormycosis. Of the reported cases:
- Three had suffered severe thermal burns, one of whom had diabetes mellitus.
- The other three had severe soft tissue injuries from traffic accidents.
In all cases, there was direct contact of the wounds with soil. During hospitalization, mycological cultures and/or biopsies were performed, which were positive for mucormycosis.
Treatment included:
- Administration of Amphotericin B (intravenously and topically).
- Extensive and repeated surgical debridement of necrotic tissues.
Two patients died, while the remaining four recovered fully and were discharged.
The authors emphasize that mucormycosis should be considered in any case of rapidly progressing skin necrosis, especially when there is a history of wound contact with soil.
It is recommended:
- Combined therapy with Amphotericin B (IV & topical).
- Repeated debridement.
- Avoidance of wound coverage (with grafts or flaps) until cultures and biopsies are negative.
Reconstruction may be difficult, depending on the extent, depth, location of the wound, and availability of donor tissues.
You can read the full article here