title: Evaluation of patients with zygomycosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Zygomycosis is a severe angioinvasive infection caused by Zygomycetes. We retrospectively investigated 16 cases of zygomycosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data of patients, who had been followed between 2004 and 2010 in 8 tertiary-care teaching hospitals, were reviewed. Demographic characteristics, underlying diseases, and clinical signs and symptoms of the patients, as well as diagnostic methods, data obtained by radiological imaging methods, and the therapies, were recorded. Therapeutic approaches, antifungal agents and duration of use, and the characteristics of the cases were identified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 11 female and 5 male subjects. The most common symptoms and clinical signs were fever (n = 9) and retro- orbital pain (n = 7). Rhinocerebral zygomycosis was the most common form. The mean time elapsed for diagnosis was 14.26 + 13.96 (range: 2-52) days. Antifungal therapy was given to 15 patients (94%). In addition to antifungal therapy, 12 patients underwent surgical intervention 1 to 4 times. The mean duration of receiving antifungal therapy was 61.4 + 58.02 (range: 1-180) days. The median duration of treatment was 62.5 (range: 42-180) days in survivors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Zygomycosis is an infectious disease with high mortality despite antifungal therapy and surgical interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey. onurkaya@sdu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Onur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alp Çavuş
authors.forename: Özge
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Turhan
authors.forename: Meltem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isiköz Taşbakan
authors.forename: Hüsnü
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pullukçu
authors.forename: Mustafa Bülent
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Ertuğrul
authors.forename: Sebnem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Şenol
authors.forename: Çiğdem Banu
authors.initials: ÇB
authors.lastname: Çetin
authors.forename: Betil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Özhak Baysan
authors.forename: Selda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sayin Kutl
authors.forename: Dilek Yeşim
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Metin
authors.forename: Meltem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Avci
authors.forename: Gülşen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mermut
authors.forename: Vildan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Avkan Oğuz
authors.forename: Nur
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yapar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult; D020096:Zygomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents