Zygomycoses B46.5

Opportunistic systemic mycosis (see mycosis below) caused by pathogens of the fungal genus Mucor(Mucorales). Mucormycetes (Mucorales) are ubiquitously distributed, rather primitive filamentous fungi which are only weakly pathogenic. Only a few species have a human medical importance.

Mucorales are typical opportunistic pathogens. They can cause them only with appropriate disposition of the host organism an infection. Immunocompromised patients or patients with metabolic diseases (e.g. diabetes mellitus with ketoacidosis) are at risk. In these patients the fungi can penetrate through the mucous membranes and multiply in the tissue. If they invade the vascular system, these fungi continue to grow intravascularly and develop "pseudothrombi" there.

Further units see below mucorycoses.