Mucormycosis is a rare infection caused by organisms that belong to a group of fungi (CDC, 2013). These fungi are typically found in the soil and in association with decaying organic matter, such as leaves, compost piles or rotten wood (CDC, 2013). The infection is more common among people with weakened immune systems, but it can occur, rarely, in people who are otherwise healthy (CDC, 2013).
In the pulmonary or sinus form of infection, exposure occurs by inhaling fungal spores from the environment (CDC, 2013). Lung infection, or pulmonary mucormycosis, is pneumonia that gets worse quickly and may spread to the chest cavity, heart, and brain (CDC, 2013).
Medical/nursing interventions that would be helpful in treating the patient include antifungal medications to slow or halt fungal spread (The New York Times, 2017). Amphotericin B, initially intravenous, is the usual drug of choice for antifungal treatment (The New York Times, 2017).
In addition, placing the patient on supplemental oxygen would be helpful due to the patient having pneumonia and that causes it to be difficult to breathe. Laboratory values that are considered abnormal include the patients HCO3, PO4, fasting glucose, WBC, lymphocytes, pH, PaO2, PaCO2.
Patients HCO3 is 29 and the normal value is 22-28. Patients PO4 is 2.9 and the normal value is 3.0-4.5. Patients fasting glucose is 138 and the normal value is less than 100. Patients WBC count is 15.2 and the normal value is 3,500-10,500. Patients lymphocytes are 10% and the normal value is 20-40%. Patients pH is 7.50 and the normal value is 7.35-7.45. Patients PaO2 is 59 and normal value is 75-100.
Patients PaCO2 is 25 and normal value is 38-42. The abnormal ABG information means that the patient is in partially compensated respiratory alkalosis (McAuley, 2017). The patient has increased WBC count due to infection of the pneumonia. Patients lymphocytes are decreased due to an infection.
The increased fasting blood glucose levels means that the patient is more susceptible to infection, in this case making the patient susceptible to pneumonia. Medications that are likely to be prescribed by the physician could be Amphotericin B-an antifungal medication to slow or halt fungal spread, Insulin due to an increased blood glucose level, and Prednisone to help with inflammation and improve breathing.
Treatments likely to be prescribed by the physician could be Nebulizer breathing treatments to help improve breathing, supplemental O2 to improve breathing and increase oxygen saturation, and IV fluids to help ensure the patient is hydrated because if the patient becomes dehydrated more issues could arise.