Isolated zygomycosis in a bought living unrelated kidney transplant

We report the first case of zygomycosis by Absidia corymbifera, only localized in an unrelated living donor kidney was bought and transplanted in India. Zygomycosis was diagnosed 2.5 months post-transplantation, in the clinical setting of rapid transplant failure, following an episode of cytomegalovirus (CMV) colitis, CMV nephritis, and acute rejection. Treatment consisted of transplantectomy. One year later, the patient is doing well, without clinical or serological evidence of persistent mycotic or virological infections. We speculate that this isolated mycotic infection originated with the donor or was due to the poor hygienic conditions in the operating theater or surgical ward. Another possibility is that this isolated renal involvement resulted from a subclinical pulmonary infection with hematogenous dissemination to the kidney in a manner comparable to renal tuberculosis. The patient received no amphotericin and was cured with transplantectomy alone.