Summary
We report two cases of rhinocerebral mucormycosis due toAbsidia corymbifera, an extremely uncommon causal agent. Both occurred in patients with haematological disorders and both had a fatal outcome, despite antemortem diagnosis and aggressive treatment. We discuss the factors which generally contribute to the poor prognosis in this group of patients and suggest another possible mechanism which may contribute to the high mortality.
Zusammenfassung
Wir berichten über zwei Fälle von rhinozerebraler Mukormykose durchAbsidia corymbifera, einen extrem seltenen Erreger. Bei beiden Patienten lag eine hämatologische Grunderkrankung vor, beide Fälle verliefen tödlich, obwohl die Diagnose gestellt und eine aggressive Therapie eingeleitet worden war. Die bei dieser Patientengruppe für eine schlechte Prognose verantwortlichen allgemeinen Faktoren werden diskutiert, wir stellen außerdem einen möglichen Pathomechanismus vor, der die hohe Letalität der Infektion mit verursachen kann.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature
Pillsbury, H. C., Fischer, N. D. Rhinocerebral mucormycosis. Arch. Otolaryngol. 103 (1977) 600–604.
Baker, R. D. Mucormycosis: Opportunistic Phycomycosis. In:Baker, R. D. (ed.): The pathologic anatomy of mycosis: Human infection with fungi, actinomycetes and algae. Springer-Verlag, New York 1971, pp. 823–918.
Meyers, B. R., Warmser, G., Hirschman, S. Z., Blitzer, A. Rhinocerebral mucormycosis. Post-mortem diagnosis and therapy. Arch. Intern. Med. 139 (1979) 557–560.
Anderson, D., Matick, H., Maheedy, M. H., Stein, K. Rhino-cerebral mucormycosis with CT scan findings. A case report. Comput. Radiol. 8 (1984) 113–117.
Price, J. C., Stevens, D. L. Hyperbaric oxygen in the treatment of rhinocerebral mucormycosis. The Laryngoscope 90 (1980) 737–746.
Abramson, E., Wilson, D., Arky, R. A. Rhinocerebral phycomycosis in association with diabetic ketoacidosis. Report of two cases and a review of clinical and experimental experience with amphotericin B therapy. Ann. Intern. Med. 66 (1967) 735–742.
Wong, B., Armstrong, D. Clinical manifestations and managements of mucormycosis. In:Warnock, D. W., Richardson, M. D. (eds.): Fungal infection in the compromised patient. John Wiley, Chichester, U. K. 1982, pp. 155–186.
Blitzer, A., Lawson, W., Meyers, B. R., Biller, U. F. Patient survival factors in paranasal sinus mucormycosis. Laryngoscope 90 (1980) 635–648.
Stevens, K. M., Newell, R. C., Bergstrum, L. Mucormycosis in a patient receiving azathioprine. Arch. Otolaryngol. 96 (1972) 250–251.
Marchevsky, A. D. L., Bottone, E. S., Geller, S. A., Giger, D. K. The changing spectrum of disease, aetiology and diagnosis of mucormycosis. Hum. Path. 11 (1980) 457–464.
Corbel, M. J., Eades, S. M. Factors determining the susceptibility of mice to experimental phycomycosis. J. Med. Microbiol. 8 (1975) 551–564.
Corbel, M. J., Eades, S. M. Experimental mucormycosis in congenitally athymic (nude) mice. Mycopathologica 62 (1977) 117–120.
Corbel, M. J., Eades, S. M. Observations on the localisation ofAbsidia corymbifera in vivo. Sabouraudia 16 (1978) 125–132.
Trull, A. K., Parker, J., Warren, R. E. IgG enzyme-linked immuno absorbent assay for diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. Retrospective study over fifteen years of transplant recipients. J. Clin. Path. 38 (1985) 1045–1057.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ryan, R.M., Warren, R.E. & Chir, B. Rhinocerebral mucormycosis due to absidia corymbifera. Infection 15, 120–121 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01650212
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01650212