Diagnosis of gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis: a mini-review.

Basidiobolus ranarum (Entomophthoromycotina) very rarely affects the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. To date, reported paediatric GI basidiobolomycosis cases are 27 worldwide; 19 from Saudi Arabia and 8 from other parts of the world. Often these cases present a diagnostic dilemma, are prone to misdiagnosis and lack of disease confirmation by proper molecular methodologies. The fungal mass removed by surgery is usually sent for conciliar histopathology, isolation by fungal cultures and final molecular testing for basidiobolomycosis. The incidence of basidiobolomycoses, their predisposing factors and the molecular diagnosis of the fungus causing the disease in combination with a phylogenetic framework are reviewed.

El-Shabrawi MH ，Kamal NM ，Kaerger K ，Voigt K ... -  《-》

Successful treatment of gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis with voriconazole without surgical intervention.

Basidiobolomycosis is a rare disease due to fungus Basidiobolus ranarum, an environmental saprophyte that is found worldwide, though mainly reported in the tropical and subtropical regions. Basidiobolomycosis is an unusual fungal skin infection, rarely involves the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Most of the cases of paediatric GI basidiobolomycosis (GIB) were reported from the southern region of Saudi Arabia. We report an 11-year-old Saudi boy. He presented with a huge right lower quadrant abdominal mass and marked eosinophilia. Abdominal computed tomography scan revealed a large caecal mass. A biopsy was taken and it showed transmural granulomatous inflammation. A diagnosis of GIB was confirmed by specific features in histopathology. Most of the reported paediatric cases with GIB required adjuvant therapy of antifungal and surgical resection. In our case, treatment with voriconazole alone for 1 year was successful with complete recovery and with no recurrence after a year of discontinuing the treatment.

Albaradi BA ，Babiker AM ，Al-Qahtani HS 《-》

A fatal pseudo-tumour: disseminated basidiobolomycosis.

van den Berk GE ，Noorduyn LA ，van Ketel RJ ，van Leeuwen J ，Bemelman WA ，Prins JM ... -  《BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES》

Visceral basidiobolomycosis: An overlooked infection in immunocompetent children.

Mandhan P ，Hassan KO ，Samaan SM ，Ali MJ ... -  《-》

An unusual case of gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis mimicking colon cancer; literature and review.

Gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis (GIB), a rare fungal infection associated with high mortality, has been reported worldwide mainly from tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, USA, and Latin America. The clinical manifestations are highly diverse and non-specific depending on the underlying disease, but fever, abdominal pain, weight loss, diarrhea, constipation and chills have been observed. There are no prominent risk factors for GIB but climatic conditions and life style are related to this infection in arid and semi-arid regions. Therefore timely diagnosis and early treatment is a challenge. Herein, we present an unusual case of gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis in a 54-year-old male, initially misdiagnosed as colon cancer. After follow-up, no evidence of relapse and the patient was successfully cured by liposomal amphotericin B. In addition, the differential diagnosis and histopathological findings are discussed with a review of the literature.

Mohammadi R ，Ansari Chaharsoghi M ，Khorvash F ，Kaleidari B ，Sanei MH ，Ahangarkani F ，Abtahian Z ，Meis JF ，Badali H ... -  《-》