Mucormycosis: a case study

Throughout the history of mucormycosis, from the first case in humans reported in 1885 by Paltauf, through publication by Gregory et al of the first observation of rhino-orbital cerebral mucormycosis in 1943, to the report by Harris in 1955 of the first known survivor, little has changed in the diagnosis and outcome of this disease. Although mucormycosis of any form--cerebral, cutaneous, rhinocerebral, intestinal, or pulmonary--is still a rarity, it should be suspected in patients who are diabetic or immunocompromised. Administration of amphotericin B, surgical debridement of infected tissue, correction of the underlying cause, and use of adjunctive HBO therapy remain the standard treatments.