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Zygomycoses |
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- Opportunistic infections caused by several genera in the class Zygomycetes.
- All grow rapidly, ferment carbohydrates, and form fuzzy mycelia with aseptate hyphae.
Three major genera - worldwide distribution
- Rhizopus
- Absidia
- Mucor
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Pythiosis |
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- Hyphomyces destruens - was classified as a fungus, many now consider it a Protozoan.
- Causes necrotic lesions in limbs of horses and dogs. Associated with standing in wetlands, organism produces motile spores.
- Occurs in Florida, other parts of Southeast U.S.( "horse leeches", "swamp cancer").
- Treatment usually ineffective
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Mucormycosis |
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- Common term for infection with Rhizopus, Absidia, or Mucor.
- Fast-growing, destructive (proteases), invades arteries causing thrombi & necrosis.
- Cattle - abortion, ulcerative g.i. infection
- Horses - nasal mucosa, guttural pouch
- Humans - very destructive, especially in diabetics. Read "The Terminator".
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Diagnosis and Treatment |
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- Try to visualize hyphae in tracheal wash, or tissue specimens.
- Grows readily on media w/o cycloheximide
Treatment
- Often resistant to antifungal drugs
- Horses - ligate and cauterize ,or surgically excise, infected arteries in guttural pouch.
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