Gastrointestinal mucormycosis is a rare but life-threatening invasive fungal infection carrying mortality rates approaching 85%. We report 3 cases of gastric mucormycosis managed at our institution. Two patients presented atypically—one with refractory seizures and another with severe respiratory distress—resulting in diagnostic delays and subsequent fatal outcomes despite antifungal therapy. A third patient, diagnosed promptly following early esophagogastroduodenoscopy and biopsy, achieved complete clinical recovery. Rapid disease progression demonstrated the aggressive nature of this condition, but early diagnosis greatly improved outcomes. These cases collectively highlight the critical importance of maintaining a high index of clinical suspicion, pursuing early endoscopic biopsy of atypical gastric ulcerations, and initiating timely antifungal therapy to optimize patient prognosis.
Kanani et al. (Tue,) studied this question.