Apophysomyces variabilis

Apophysomyces variabilis is an emerging fungal pathogen that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infection in humans. This fungus is a soil-dwelling saprobe with tropical to subtropical distribution. It is a zygomycete that causes mucormycosis, an infection in humans brought about by fungi in the order Mucorales. Infectious cases have been reported globally in locations including the Americas, Southeast Asia, India, and Australia. Apophysomyces variabilis infections are not transmissible from person to person.

Apophysomyces variabilis is one of four species in the genus Apophysomyces, which also includes A. elegans, A. ossiformis, and A. trapeziformis. In the past, Apophysomyces elegans was believed to be the species responsible for most cases of cutaneous mucormycosis attributed to Apophysomyces, but recently, some of the other species have been shown to be important in human infection. Since the new species have only recently been recognized, much remains to be learned about their relative clinical importance, comparative virulence, epidemiology, and anti-fungal drug susceptibilities.