Gastrointestinal Basidiobolomycosis: A Case Series

Abstract

Gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis (GIB) is a rare fungal infection caused by Basidiobolus ranarum, a saprophytic fungus that belongs to the class of Basidiobolomycetes. It mainly infects immunocompetent individuals and is mainly found in arid tropical and subtropical regions, including Southwestern America, Saudi Arabia, Africa, and Asia. Not surprisingly, a great number of human infections have been reported from these warm, humid climate regions that are felicitous for the growth of this fungus, especially from the southern region of Saudi Arabia and Arizona in the United States of America. GIB is easily misdiagnosed as malignancy, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, lymphoma, and chronic intestinal infections due to its rarity. In this case series, we summarize the clinical features, imaging, histopathological features, and treatment of patients diagnosed with GIB in our institution.