[Primary cutaneous mucormycosis: two case reports and review of the literature]

Mucormycosis or zygomycosis is a rare opportunistic infection caused by aerobic saprophytic fungus that belongs to the class of Zygomycetes Mucorales family. These organisms live in the environment and enter the body by air, gastrointestinal or skin routes, through solutions of continuity of the skin. This microorganism is generally not pathogenic for immunocompetent hosts, being the development of the disease linked with the immune status of the subject. Its mortality is around 50-60%; sometimes in spite of early diagnosis and treatment initiation it has a fatal course. Six clinical forms of mucormycosis are described: rhinocerebral, cutaneous, pulmonary, disseminated, gastrointestinal and miscellaneous form. Two cases of patients with primary cutaneous mucormycosis diagnosed in the Pathology Unit of Hernan Henriquez Aravena Hospital of Temuco, Chile are presented here.