Mucormycosis

General Rating Formula for Mycotic Lung Disease (diagnostic codes 6834 through 6839):

Mucormycosis 

Mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, is a rare but dangerous infection. It's caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes and often affects the sinuses, lungs, skin, and brain. You can inhale the mold spores or come into contact with them in things like soil, rotting produce or bread, or compost piles.

Causes

Mucormycosis is caused by exposure to mucormyete molds. These organisms occur in:

• leaves
• piles of compost
• soil
• rotting wood

You can contract mucormycosis by breathing in affected mold spores in the air. This is referred to as a sinus (pulmonary) exposure. In turn, you may develop the infection in your:

• central nervous system (rarer)
• eyes
• face
• lungs
• sinuses

The fungus can also infect your skin via a cut or burn (cutaneous exposure). In such cases, the wound or burn ends up becoming the area of infection.

While these types of molds can naturally occur in the environment, not everyone exposed will get the fungal infection. You may be at an increased risk of contracting this type of infection if you have a weakened immune system. Conditions that may increase your risk include:

• burns
• cuts and scrapes
• cancer
• recent organ transplant
• HIV or AIDS
• diabetes (especially if it’s not being treated properly)
• surgery

Symptoms of Mucormycosis

The symptoms of mucormycosis will depend on where in your body the fungus is growing. They may include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling on one side of your face
• Headache
• Sinus congestion
• Black lesions on the bridge of your nose or the inside of your mouth
• Belly pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Blood in your stool
• Diarrhea

If your skin is infected, the area can look blistered, red, or swollen. It might turn black or feel warm or painful.

The infection can also spread to other parts of your body through your blood. This is called disseminated mucormycosis. When this happens, the fungus can affect organs like your spleen and heart. In severe cases, you may have changes to your mental state or go into a coma. It can even be deadly.

Diagnosis

• Healthcare providers consider your medical history, symptoms, physical examinations, and laboratory tests when diagnosing mucormycosis. 
• Healthcare providers who suspect that you have mucormycosis in your lungs or sinuses might collect a sample of fluid from your respiratory system to send to a laboratory. 
• Your healthcare provider may perform a tissue biopsy, in which a small sample of affected tissue is analyzed in a laboratory for evidence of mucormycosis under a microscope or in a fungal culture. 
• You may also need imaging tests such as a CT scan of your lungs, sinuses, or other parts of your body, depending on the location of the suspected infection.