Francis JR

Villanueva P

Bryant P

Blyth CC

2018-05-15

Mucormycosis represents the third most common invasive fungal infection in children, and recent studies have suggested a rising incidence. Its case fatality rate is high, especially for neonates. Clinical presentation is influenced by underlying risk factors; associations with immunosuppression, neutropenia, diabetes, and prematurity have been described. It has been implicated in several hospital outbreaks. Diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion and evaluation with histopathology, culture, and, increasingly, molecular identification. Surgical debridement and antifungal therapies are the cornerstone for combatting invasive mucormycosis. However, the severity and relative rarity of this disease make comparative clinical trials for evaluating antifungal therapies in children difficult to conduct. Hence, therapeutic decisions are derived mainly from retrospective case series, in vitro data, and animal models. In this review, we summarize the literature on the epidemiology and diagnosis of this invasive fungal infection and provide suggestions on the management of mucormycosis in children.

Department of Paediatrics, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Australia.. Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia..

Department of General Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia..

Infectious Diseases Unit, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia..

Department of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Australia.. School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth.. Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth..

Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society 2018-05-15; 7(2): 159-164

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29294067/?otool=iaurydwlib

https://hdl.handle.net/10137/6974

Mucormycosis in Children: Review and Recommendations for Management.

Journal Article

Publication