title: Chapter 7: zygomycosis.
abstract: Zygomycosis (mucormycosis) is a rare but highly invasive infection caused by fungi belonging to the order Mucorales, which includes the genera Rhizopus, Mucor, Rhizomucor, Absidia, Apophysomyces, Saksenaea, Cunninghamella, Cokeromyces and Syncephalastrum. This type of infection is usually associated with hematologic diseases, diabetic ketoacidosis and organ transplantation. The most common form of presentation is rhinocerebral mucormycosis, with or without pulmonary involvement. Pulmonary zygomycosis is more common in patients with profound, prolonged neutropenia and can present as segmental or lobar infiltrates, isolated nodules, cavitary lesions, hemorrhage or infarction. The clinical and radiological manifestations are often indistinguishable from those associated with invasive aspergillosis. This article describes the general characteristics of pulmonary zygomycosis, emphasizing laboratory diagnosis, and illustrates the morphology of some lesions.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Pulmonology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul - Porto Alegre, Brazi. severo@santacasa.tche.br
authors.forename: Cecília Bittencourt
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Severo
authors.forename: Luciana Silva
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Guazzelli
authors.forename: Luiz Carlos
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Severo
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003948:Diagnostic Techniques, Respiratory System / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D055732:Pulmonary Aspergillosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D020096:Zygomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy