Mucormycosis
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A 47-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus is admitted to the hospital for treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis with insulin and intravenous fluids. During his hospitalization, he experiences severe facial pain and subsequently develops septic shock. Despite appropriate resuscitative efforts, the patient dies in the intensive care unit. Autopsy shows a large black eschar over his intranasal mucosa. Microscopic examination of this lesion shows multiple non-septate hyphae that branch at wide angles. Which of the following species was likely responsible for this patient’s death?
External References
First Aid
2024
2023
2022
2021
Leukemias p. 437
mucormycosis p. 150
Mucormycosis p. 150
diabetic ketoacidosis p. 355
Summary
Mucormycosis is a serious fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes. It commonly affects people with weakened immune systems, such as those with diabetes mellitus or taking immunosuppressive drugs for a long time. Mucormycetes proliferate in blood vessel walls and penetrate the cribriform plate to enter the brain, causing cavernous sinus thrombosis, brain abscesses, and possible cranial nerve involvement. Affected people usually present with a black necrotic eschar is seen on the face. Mucormycosis is with surgical debridement and amphotericin B.