Symptoms of Mucormycosis

Key points

  • Mucormycosis symptoms depend on the type of infection (which part of the body is affected).
  • Types of infection include sinus and brain, lung, skin, stomach and intestines, or widespread.
  • Sinus, lung, and skin are the most common types of infections.
  • Most people come in contact with the mold that causes mucormycosis and do not get symptoms.
A patient in a hospital bed

Symptoms

Mucormycosis is rare and usually affects people with very weak immune systems. People get mucormycosis from spores of a group of molds called mucormocytes that are common indoors and outdoors.

The mold spores can get into and infect the body three ways:

  • Inhalation (breathing the spores in).
  • Through cuts, scrapes, or wounds.
  • Eating or drinking something contaminated.

Each way that a person can be infected can cause different forms of mucormycosis. Each form has different symptoms.

Rhino-orbital-cerebral (sinus, eyes, and brain)

Rhino-orbital-cerebral (sinus, eyes, and brain) mucormycosis can cause:

  • Fever
  • One-sided facial swelling
  • Headache
  • Vision changes
  • Nasal or sinus congestion
  • Black lesions on nasal bridge or upper inside of mouth
illustration of older woman with flush cheeks holding her head and checking her temperature
Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis causes fever.

Pulmonary (lung) mucormycosis

Pulmonary mucormycosis can cause:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Chest pain
  • Shortness of breath.

Cutaneous (skin) mucormycosis

Cutaneous mucormycosis can cause blisters or ulcers, and the infected area may turn black.

Other symptoms include pain, warmth, redness, or swelling around a wound.

Gastrointestinal (stomach and intestines) mucormycosis

  Gastrointestinal mucormycosis can cause abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and bleeding.

Disseminated (widespread) mucormycosis

Disseminated mucormycosis, the most severe form, develops when mucormycosis (any form) spreads to other parts of the body.

People are already very sick before they get disseminated mucormycosis. It is hard to know which symptoms are caused by mucormycosis and which are from their other illness or conditions.

The most common site of spread is the brain, which can cause mental status changes or coma. It can also spread to the spleen, heart, skin, and other organs.

image of an arm on a hosptial bed getting a picc line
People who get disseminated mucormycosis are already very sick.
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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)