Invasive zygomycosis due to Conidiobolus incongruus

Clin Infect Dis. 1994 Sep;19(3):423-30. doi: 10.1093/clinids/19.3.423.

Abstract

During the past decade, an increasing spectrum of pathogenic Zygomycetes fungi have caused infections in humans. The preponderance of these deeply invasive infections have been caused by members of the order Mucorales. However, deeply invasive zygomycoses due to genera of the order Entomophthorales (Conidiobolus species and Basidiobolus species) have seldom been reported. We describe a granulocytopenic patient with pulmonary and pericardial zygomycosis due to Conidiobolus incongruus, describe this organism's susceptibility to antifungal agents, characterize its diagnostic microbiological characteristics, and review previously reported cases of deeply invasive zygomycosis due to Conidiobolus species. In immunocompromised patients, C. incongruus is an uncommon but highly invasive fungal pathogen that may be resistant to amphotericin B and can be distinguished from other Zygomycetes fungi by characteristic mycological features.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amphotericin B / therapeutic use
  • Cardiac Tamponade / etiology
  • Cardiac Tamponade / microbiology*
  • Cardiac Tamponade / pathology
  • Drug Resistance, Microbial
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Fungi / cytology
  • Fungi / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Immunocompromised Host*
  • Mucormycosis / complications
  • Mucormycosis / immunology
  • Mucormycosis / microbiology*
  • Mucormycosis / pathology
  • Pneumonia / diagnostic imaging
  • Pneumonia / etiology
  • Pneumonia / microbiology*
  • Pneumonia / pathology
  • Radiography

Substances

  • Amphotericin B