A Rare Presentation of Ileocecal Mucormycosis in a Heart Transplant Recipient

Mucorales is an order of angioinvasive fungi that classically infects immunocompromised patients. As an aerogenous pathogen, it most frequently causes disease of the lungs and paranasal sinuses. Gastrointestinal mucormycosis represents a particularly rare site of infection. This case report describes the complicated presentation of ileocecal mucormycosis in an immunocompromised orthotopic heart transplant recipient. The diagnosis was made status-post ileocolonic resection, and the patient was promptly started on liposomal amphotericin B and micafungin. Unfortunately, the patient ultimately succumbed to disseminated infection. In this study, we review the epidemiology, the presenting features of gastrointestinal mucormycosis, and emphasize the prompt initiation of therapy on suspected disease.