Korean J Nephrol.  1997 Jun;16(2):407-411.

A Case of Mucormycosis Found in the Breast of a Hemodialysis Patient for Diabetic Nephropathy

• Yu DS
• Ryu SH
• Im JS
• Lee JH
• Lyu IY
• Shin WH
• Yun SJ
• Jae YS

Abstract

Mucormycosis, caused by Zygomycetes fungi of the order Mucorales, is a rare opportunistic infection which usually develops in immunosuppressed patients, especially in patients with diabetic acidosis. This infection, associated with the presence of broad, nonseparate hyphae in tissue, originates usually in the perinasal sinuses and nose, orbit, central nervous system, lung, skin, soft tissue, or gastrointestinal tract, but is occasionally disseminated from the primary location to other areas. Recently we experienced a case of Mucormycosis found in the breast of a 70-year old woman undergoing hemodialysis for diabetic nephropathy. The patients was very poor in her systemic condition. On physical examination, we found the subcutaneous mass in the left breast. Breast ultrasonography showed a mass with a relatively clear boundary in subcutaneous fatty layer and excisional biopsy confirmed infiltration of breast tissue by fungal hyphae. With improvement of patient's malnutrition via an aggressive hemodialysis, control of blood glucose and total parentral nutrition, the mass was slightly reduced in size and maintained without causing any notable symptom. Since Mucormycosis found in the breast tissue has not been reported in the literature yet, we report its case observed in a hemodialysis patient for diabetic nephropathy with the review of the literatures.

Keyword

Diabetic nephropathy; Mucormycosis; Breast

MeSH Terms

Aged
Biopsy
Blood Glucose
Breast*
Central Nervous System
Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Diabetic Nephropathies*
Female
Fungi
Gastrointestinal Tract
Humans
Hyphae
Lung
Malnutrition
Mucorales
Mucormycosis*
Nose
Opportunistic Infections
Orbit
Physical Examination
Renal Dialysis*
Skin
Ultrasonography, Mammary
Blood Glucose