Volume 29, Number 7—July 2023
CME ACTIVITY - Research
Clinical and Mycologic Characteristics of Emerging Mucormycosis Agent Rhizopus homothallicus
Shivaprakash M. Rudramurthy1, Shreya Singh12, Rimjhim Kanaujia, Hansraj Chaudhary3, Valliappan Muthu, Naresh Panda, Abhishek Pandey, Sheetal Thakur, Harsimran Kaur, Anup Ghosh, Ritesh Agarwal, and Arunaloke Chakrabarti4
Table 2
Comparison of mucormycosis caused by Rhizopus homothallicus versus R. arrhizus in patients enrolled in a 10-month retrospective study, Chandigarh, India, January–October 2021*
| Parameter | R. homothallicus, n = 41 | R. arrhizus, n = 266 | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean age, y (+ SD) |
45.9 (± 12.8) |
52.5 (± 12.7) |
0.002 |
| Sex | |||
| M | 23/41 (56.1) | 182/266 (68.4) | 0.15 |
| F |
18/41 (43.9) |
84/266 (31.6) |
|
| Risk factors | |||
| CAM | 23/41 (56.1) | 256/266 (96.2) | 0.0001 |
| Duration after COVID-19, d (+ SD) | 6.13 (± 13.5) | 11.9 (± 14.8) | 0.07 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 39/41 (95.1) | 223/238 (93.7) | 0.72 |
| Recently diagnosed diabetes mellitus | 9/39 (23.1) | 54/223 (24.2) | |
| Renal transplantation |
0 |
1/238 (0.4) |
1.00 |
| Intracranial involvement |
3/41 (7.3) |
13/266 (4.9) |
0.46 |
| Clinical features | |||
| Fever | 4/41 (9.8) | 3/55 (5.5) | 0.42 |
| Headache | 4/41 (9.8) | 10/55 (18.2) | 0.38 |
| Toothache | 4/41 (9.8) | 5/55 (9.1) | 0.91 |
| Eye swelling | 27/41 (65.9) | 27/55 (49.1) | 0.10 |
| Facial pain | 11/41 (26.8) | 22/55 (40) | 0.18 |
| Facial swelling | 16/41 (39) | 22/55 (40) | 0.92 |
| Proptosis | 3/41 (7.3) | 0 | 0.08 |
| Visual disturbance | 18/41 (43.9) | 7/55 (12.7) | 0.0005 |
| Oral ulcer | 3/41 (7.3) | 10/55 (18.2) | 0.12 |
| Nasal crust | 5/41 (12.2) | 5/55 (9.1) | 0.62 |
| Palatal eschar |
5/41 (12.2) |
10/55 (18.2) |
0.42 |
| Management | |||
| Amphotericin therapy | 38/41 (92.7) | 212/218 (97.2) | 0.14 |
| LAMB | 36/38 (94.7) | 196/212 (92.5) | |
| Conventional AMB | 2/38 (5.3) | 16/212 (7.5) | |
| Surgery |
24/36 (66.7) |
184/245 (75.1) |
0.31 |
| 30-day mortality | 4/41 (9.8) | 104/266 (39.1) | 0.0001 |
*Values are no. patients/no. with data available (%) except as indicated. CAM, COVID-19–associated mucormycosis; LAMB, liposomal amphotericin B; AMB, amphotericin.
1These first authors contributed equally to this article.
2Current affiliation: Dr. B R Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences, Mohali, India.
3Current affiliation: Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India.
4Current affiliation: Doodhadhari Burfani Hospital, Haridwar, India.
Page created: April 20, 2023
Page updated: June 20, 2023
Page reviewed: June 20, 2023
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