[Zygomycetes in biopsies of the gastrointestinal tract].

Zygomycosis (Mucor- and Entomophtoramycosis) of the gastrointestinal tract is rare compared to other mycoses in the gastrointestinal area. The infection occurs mainly in immunosuppressed patients but rare cases concerning immunocompetent persons are also documented. Zygomycosis occurs in the gastrointestine primarily or due to disseminated disease. We report on a 48-year-old female alcohol-addicted patient who underwent gastric biopsies. The biopsy results showed invasive zygomycosis. Shortly thereafter, the patient died of sepsis. The second case presented here is a 15-year-old female patient with recurrent vomiting. Histological and immunohistochemical analysis of duodenal biopsy specimens revealed fungi of the class Zygomycetes. In addition, histological and/or microbiological examination demonstrated the presence of Candida in both cases.Zygomycosis of the gastrointestinal tract can have an aggressive course, making it important to know the morphological characteristics of the disease to facilitate early diagnosis and therapy. This is all the more important because the cultivation of fungi, as in our cases, is not always successful.