title: Neonatal small intestinal zygomyocosis misdiagnosed as intussusception in a two-day-old child with a review of the literature.
abstract: Neonatal mucormycosis is caused by fungi belonging to the class Zygomycetes. Clinically, it mimics necrotizing enterocolitis. We describe a case of 2-day-old baby who presented with abdominal distension and vomiting. A clinical diagnosis of intussusception was suspected. An exploratory laprotomy revealed gangrenous bowel wall and no intussusception or any gas-filled vesicles. Histological examination of the gangrenous segment showed transmural ischemic necrosis with fungal hyphae of zygomycosis. The baby is doing well postoperatively at a follow-up of 3 months. Hence, a high degree of clinical suspicion is important in neonates not responding to usual therapy or antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Histopathology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Pallavi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Agrawal
authors.forename: Uma
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Saikia
authors.forename: Subbaih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramanaathan
authors.forename: Ram
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Samujh
mesh_terms: D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D007443:Intussusception / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D020096:Zygomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology