Pythiosis (Q42197)

Pythiosis is a life-threatening infection by the oömycete Pythium insidiosum. Although infection in animals occurs widely across the world, human pythiosis is largely confined to Thailand and, with the exception of ocular disease, is closely associated with underlying haematological disease, especially thalassaemia. There is a high mortality in patients with disseminated or vascular disease. In the latter form, invasion of arterial wall results in vascular occlusion and a frequent need for amputation. Patients with ocular pythiosis commonly require enucleation. A small proportion of infections are limited to the skin and subcutaneous tissues.