Mucoralis

• found on decaying organic matter

• bread mold

Mucormycosis

• caused by fungi of the zygomyces class/mucofales order

• Mucor, Rhizopus, Absidia most common

• all these organisms form non-septate hyphae

Mucor host defense

• PMNs kill the organism

• low pH enhances growth, interferes with PMN function

• low pH shifts Fe-Hgb dissociation curve, making iron available to the organism

Patients at risk for Mucor infection

• those with diabetic ketoacidosis

• those on desferoxamine: makes people urinate iron

• neutropenic patients

Changing clinical challenges in high-risk patients

• organ transplant patients get a variety of molds and yeasts

• everyone has Aspergillus and Mucor, but aside from that, infectious agents differ throughout the country

Category: Microbiology Notes