PURPOSE: To report upon several cases of rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis with variable clinical manifestations including ocular symptoms. METHODS: We documented three patients with rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis and uncontrolled diabetes. RESULTS: The patients presented variable ophthalmic symptoms including blepharoptosis, ophthalmoplegia, visual disturbance, visual field defect and ocular pain. Despite administration of an antifungal agent within two days, all of the patients died. CONCLUSIONS: We reported the cases of three patients with rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis presenting ophthalmic symptoms with a literature review. Variable initial symptoms were emphasized in making diagnosis of rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis.
Blepharoptosis ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Mucormycosis* ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Orbital Cellulitis ; Visual Fields

Bronchial Diseases ; diagnosis ; Bronchial Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mucormycosis ; diagnosis

Bacterial Infections ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/diagnosis* ; Mucormycosis/diagnosis* ; Respiratory Sounds ; Thyroid Gland

Mucormycosis is a relatively uncommon opportunistic fungal infection that occurs more commonly in patients with immunosuppression and diabets mellitus, particularly those with ketoacidosis. Successful therapy for rhinoorbital mucormycosis requires early diagnosis, correction of predisposing conditions, prompt use of amphotericin B, and aggressive surgical debridement. We experienced a 56-years-old poorly controlled diabetic woman with rhinoorbital mucormycosis that was successfully treated with intraconal amphotericin B irrigation and packing without exenteration.
Abscess* ; Amphotericin B* ; Debridement ; Drainage* ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Ketosis ; Mucormycosis*

Rhinocerebral mucormycosis is rare, but fatal infection of the nasal cavity and sinuses. It can spread to the orbits and cranium within days, and prognosis is directly associated with length of time before diagnosis and treatment. Rhinocerebral mucormycosis can cause cerebral infarction via carotid artery occlusion. Therefore, neurosurgeon is paramount in making the proper management. We recently encountered a case of rhinocerebral mucormycosis with massive cerebral infarction. The clinical and radiological details of this case are presented here with a brief review of the literature.
Carotid Arteries ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Diagnosis ; Mucormycosis* ; Nasal Cavity ; Orbit ; Prognosis ; Skull

Mucormycosis is an infectious disease caused by fungi of the order Mucorales. Almost all patients have a serious uriderlying condition such as diabetes mallitus, imrnunosuppression, starvation, burn, but a few cais have been reported in previously heilthy subjects. In order to successfully treat this infection, diagnosis must be prompt and acior. panied by aggressive debridement and parenteral administration of amphotericin B. We report a case of primary cutaneous mucormycosis in 58-year-old man. The lesion was a well-circumscribed erythematous plaque with central necrcis Histopathologically, a biopsy revealed broad, nonsptate with branches occuring at right anghles.
Amphotericin B ; Biopsy ; Burns ; Communicable Diseases ; Debridement ; Diagnosis ; Fungi ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mucorales ; Mucormycosis* ; Starvation

Mucormycosis is an uncommon, frequently fatal, opportunistic fungal infection and usually occur in immunocompromised patients. Rhinocerebral and pulmonary disease are the common forms but intestinal infection is an extremely rare form of the disease. Invasive intestinal mucormycosis is usually fatal, therefore, few cases reported survival after early diagnosis and surgical resection combined with antifungal treatment. Because of high mortality after surgery, the healing of ulcers caused by intestinal mucormycosis has not previously observed in immunocompromised host. We reported a case of the intestinal mucormycosis that had been healed the ulcer and symptomatic improvement after only amphotericin B.
Amphotericin B* ; Early Diagnosis ; Immunocompromised Host ; Lung Diseases ; Mortality ; Mucormycosis* ; Ulcer*

Mucormycosis (formerly known as zygomycosis) is a life-threatening opportunistic mycosis that infects a broad range of hosts with qualitative or quantitative defects in innate immunity. The overall mortality rate of pulmonary mucormycosis is above 70%. The prognosis and outcome of pulmonary mucormycosis have not improved significantly over the last decade, mainly because of difficulty in early diagnosis and the limited activity of current antifungal agents against members of the order Mucorales. We report a case of pulmonary mucormycosis treated successfully with posaconazole as salvage therapy. We suggest that posaconazole may be considered as an alternative therapeutic approach in patients with invasive pulmonary mucormycosis who are unable to tolerate surgical treatment.
Antifungal Agents ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; Mortality ; Mucorales ; Mucormycosis* ; Prognosis ; Salvage Therapy*

Differential diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis from other pulmonary fungal infections including mucormycosis is important because the treatment is pathogen-dependent. Clinically, invasive aspergillosis is often discriminated from other mold infections on the basis of typical histopathologic features in the biopsy specimen. However, biopsy alone is not always complete because different fungal species can display similar histopathologic features. Surrogate markers or molecular-based assays can be useful when the results of conventional diagnostic modalities are conflicting. Here, we present a case of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis histologically mimicking mucormycosis, which was confirmed by fungal polymerase chain reaction.
Aspergillosis ; Biomarkers ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fungi ; Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis* ; Lung Diseases, Fungal ; Mucormycosis* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical features of patients with mucormycosis.

METHODWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of all 9 cases of mucormycosis in our hospital from 1986 to 2009.

RESULTSThe average age was(31 ∓ 19)years. The intervals between the onset of disease to diagnosis ranged from 1 weeks to 31 months. One patient had rhinocerebral mucormycosis, 4 had pulmonary mucormycosis, 2 had disseminated mucormycosis, and 1 had isolated central nervous system mucormycosis. Risk factors included long-term high-dose usage of corticosteroids, diabetes,acidosis, and extensive skin lesions. Laboratory analysis showed elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and increased C-reactive protein. Laboratory evidences also suggested 6 patients were obviously immunocompromised. Chest CT scans of all patients with pulmonary mucormycosis revealed bilateral multiple patches. All patients were treated with intravenous amphotericin B, and two patients also underwent surgeries. One of two patients with disseminated mucormycosis died, the patient with rhinocerebral mucormycosis was stabilized,and the other patients were improved.

CONCLUSIONSMucormycosis is a rare disease, and all patients are immunocompromised. Due to the rapid progression and poor prognosis, early diagnosis and correct treatment are necessary and may improve survival.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mucormycosis ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult