Infectious Disease Compendium

Basidiobolus ranarum

Microbiology

Mould. (Review)

Usually Basidiobolus ranarum, but rare cases of Basidiobolus haptosporus.

Epidemiologic Risks

World wide, including the US SW. Most cases come from Africa.

"B. ranarum can be found in soil; decaying vegetable matter; gastrointestinal tracts of amphibians (eg, frogs and toads), reptiles (eg, garden lizards and geckos), and fish; leaves from deciduous trees; bats; and feces of kangaroos and wallabies (Pubmed)."

Syndromes

Abdominal pain and a mass suggesting colon cancer. Most are previously healthy or have diabetes (PubMed).  May have eosinophilia.

Subcutaneous zygomycosis.

Treatment

Removal and itraconazole.  A case report of a cure with no surgery and voriconazole for a year (PubMed).  I assume it was associated with bankruptcy as well.

Notes

Last update: 01/20/20