title: Zygomycosis.
abstract: Zygomycosis represents an excellent example of an opportunistic fungal infection that generally occurs in the debilitated, immunocompromised, or acidotic host. Infections are usually fulminant, with etiologic agents exhibiting predilection for invasion of blood vessels with resultant infarction and necrosis. The spectrum of agents capable of inciding zygomycosis has broadened and the incidence has increased in contemporary medicine. Nevertheless, an increased index of suspicion, better mycological acumen, aggressive surgical debridement of diseased tissue, and prompt therapy with amphotericin B have rendered substantial improvement in the prognosis of an otherwise fatal infectious disease. Rapid and accurate diagnostic techniques and the availability of less toxic, efficacious antifungal agents should be sought after goals for the enhanced management of zygomycosis.
authors.affiliation: Fungus Testing Laboratory, Department of Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
mesh_terms: D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D009091:Mucormycosis; D009894:Opportunistic Infections
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000666:Amphotericin B