Hi-PCR® Mucormycosis Probe PCR Kit

Mucormycosis is an aggressive life-threatening infection caused by fungi in the order Mucorales. Mucorales is a large order of genetically very heterogeneousfungi, and the most common human pathogens are associated with the genera Mucor, Rhizopus, Rhizomucor and Lichtheimia which are responsible for almost 70?90% of all cases of mucormycosis. Species of other genera, such as Cunninghamella, Apophysomyces, Saksenaea, Cokeromyces, Actinomucor and Syncephalastrum, are less common which are responsible for 1% to 5% of reported cases of mucormycosis. Major predisposing risk factors for mucormycosis consist of an impaired immune system, generally caused by neutropenia, corticosteroid treatment, and uncontrolled diabetes with or without ketoacidosis. In certain situations, patients with prolonged neutropenia, disseminated disease, or cerebral involvement, mortality can be unavoidable. Current diagnosis of mucormycosis relies heavily on mycological culture, radiological and histopathological examination. Blood cultures or those from biopsy specimens are mostly negative, and positive cultures can occur sometimes due to contamination rather than true infection. Radiological methods also lack sensitivity, because it is difficult to differentiate imaging findings from aspergillosis, a disease that is treated differently from mucormycosis. Molecular methods are promising directions of modern laboratory diagnosis of fungal infections. Real? Time PCR based molecular techniques have high potential for accurately diagnosing infection in early stages of the disease.