Background: Basidiobolus ranarum belongs to the Entomophthorales order and the Zygomycetes class. This fungus is an environmental saprophyte that can be found in soil and rotting vegetables. Primarily restricted to tropical regions including Asia, Africa, and South America. It might cause chronic inflammatory diseases, mostly affecting subcutaneous tissue. Systemic infections involving the gastrointestinal tract are extremely rare.
Objective: studying the possibility of infection by basidopolomycosis in emergency surgical cases and its management and follow up.
Case presentation:Herein, we presented 5 patients from the emergency department with acute abdominal pain with or without Abdominal mass. Leukocytosis with esinophilia was found in all patients. CT abdomen and pelvis with oral and Intravenous (IV) contrast were done. Colonoscopy was done for 2 patients.
Results: In those five patients, the diagnosis was established after extensive colonic surgery in three patients, and after colonoscopy with biopsy for the other two patients. After establishing the diagnosis, all patients received antifungal therapy. In those who had undergone extensive colonic surgery, two patients died and one recovered. In those who were diagnosed early by colonoscopy, both patients recovered without surgery.
Conclusion: Fungal infection should be among the differential diagnoses for patients presented with an abdominal pain or masses in endemic regions of the world.