ABSTRACT
Classified in the family Mucoraceae, order Mucorales, phylum Zygomycota, and kingdom Fungi, the genus Mucor is known, along with several other genera (e.g., Rhizopus, Rhizomucor, and Lichtheimia [formerly Absidia and Mycocladus]) belonging to the order Mucorales, as the causal agent of mucormycosis. Representing the third most common angioinvasive fungal infection after candidiasis and aspergillosis, mucormycosis is characterized by angioinvasion leading to thrombosis, infarction, and necrosis of the involved tissue. Usually acquired by inhalation of spores from environmental sources, by direct inoculation due to skin lesions, or by ingestion of contaminated food, mucormycosis may manifest as rhinocerebral, cutaneous, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and disseminated infections, and pose a serious threat to immunocompromised individuals.
