[Phycomycoses].

Phycomycoses are opportunistic fungal diseases as far as mucormycosis is concerned, but for basidiobolomycosis and entomophthoromycosis, the adjective 'opportunistic' should be used with caution. Mucormycosis assumes cranial, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, disseminated, cutaneous and focal forms: the infection nearly always develops in a person whose resistance is lowered by a metabolic disorder, a blood dyscrasia, corticosteroid or immunodepressive therapy. It is a frequent complication in leukemia or diabetic acidosis. Basidiobolomycosis and entomophtoromycosis are caused by fungi which belong to the order, Entomophthorales. They are characterized in tissue by broad hyphae which are surrounded by eosinophilic material. These mycoses are treated by potassium iodide.