Mucorales

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellnesspedia

Mucorales is an order of fungi in the division Zygomycota. The order consists of roughly 300 species, which are typically found in soil, dung, and decaying organic matter. Some species are parasitic or pathogenic to plants and animals, including humans.

Taxonomy[edit | edit source]

The order Mucorales was first described by the German botanist Gottlob Ludwig Rabenhorst in 1860. The order is part of the division Zygomycota, which is characterized by the formation of a distinctive type of spore called a zygospore.

Characteristics[edit | edit source]

Mucorales species are typically fast-growing, producing colonies that are white to gray in color. They reproduce both sexually and asexually, with asexual reproduction being the most common. The fungi produce spores that are dispersed by air currents.

Ecology[edit | edit source]

Mucorales species are found worldwide and are most commonly found in soil, dung, and decaying organic matter. Some species are also found in the digestive tracts of animals.

Pathogenicity[edit | edit source]

Some species of Mucorales are pathogenic to plants and animals, including humans. In humans, they can cause a disease known as mucormycosis, which can be life-threatening in individuals with weakened immune systems.

Treatment[edit | edit source]

Treatment for mucormycosis typically involves antifungal medications and, in severe cases, surgery to remove infected tissue.

See also[edit | edit source]

Mucorales Resources
Doctor showing form.jpg
Wiki.png

Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD


Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.

Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.


Contributors: Admin, Prab R. Tumpati, MD