Clinical Review on Mucormycosis

Is a rare but life-threatening fungal infection caused by fungi belonging to the order Mucorales, predominantly Rhizopus, Mucor, Rhizomucor, and Lichtheimia. The infection is characterized by rapid tissue necrosis and has a high mortality rate if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Mucormycosis primarily affects immunocompromised individuals, including those with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, hematological malignancies, solid organ transplants, and those undergoing prolonged corticosteroid therapy. The disease typically manifests in four clinical forms: rhino-orbital-cerebral, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and cutaneous. Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis is the most common and is often associated with diabetic ketoacidosis, where the fungus invades the sinuses, spreading to the orbit and brain. Early diagnosis relies on clinical suspicion, radiological imaging, histopathological examination, and microbiological cultures. Treatment involves a combination of antifungal therapy, usually with liposomal amphotericin B, and, when feasible, surgical debridement of necrotic tissue. Despite aggressive treatment, the prognosis remains poor, particularly in patients with extensive disease or underlying immunocompromise. Preventive strategies focus on controlling predisposing factors, such as optimal management of diabetes and minimizing the use of immunosuppressive agents. The increasing incidence of mucormycosis, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlights the need for greater awareness, early detection, and timely intervention. This review article presents the current statistics, the causes of this infection in the human body, and its diagnosis with available recent therapies through recent databases collected from several clinics and agencies. The diagnosis and identifcation of the infection were made possible through various latest medical techniques such as computed tomography scans, direct microscopic observations, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, serology, molecular assay, and histopathology.