Mucormycosis is a rare fungal infection of childhood, occurring mainly
in patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and malignancies,
The fungus seldom grows in culture and confirmation of the diagnosis
depends on histologic examination of infected tissues, To date, the re
ported natural history of the disease has been rapid progression and a
fatal outcome, Therefore, the importance of early diagnosis by tissue
biopsy and early treatment with surgical debridement and systemic ant
ifungal therapy cannot be overemphasized, The pulmonary system is the
most common site for mucormycosis in patients with leukemia. We report
what we believe to be the first successfully treated case of isolated
muscular mucormycosis occurring in a child with biphenotypic acute le
ukemia, The diagnosis was made promptly by tissue examination at the t
ime of surgical debridement. The patient was also given systemic ampho
tericin-B therapy.