Korean J Med.  1998 Jun;54(6):844-848.

A Case of Disseminated Mucormycosis Involving Lung, Chest Wall and Central Nervous System

• Park SJ
• Jung CW
• Park ES
• Park AJ
• Lee SJ

Abstract

Disseminated mucormycosis is a rare but fatal fungal infection with a high mortality rate. Mucormycosis usually occurs in immunocompromised patients such as in patients with diabetes mellitus, leukemia, lymphoma and in patients undergoing anticancer therapy, prolonged immunosuppression, and antibiotic therapy. Early diagnosis and the resolution of predisposing factors, including the use of amphotericin B and wide surgical resection, are essential to make a successful outcome. We report a well-documented case of disseminated mucormycosis involving lung parenchyme, chest wall and central nervous system with the review of literatures in patients with uncontrolled diabetes and Evans' syndrome. Typical broad, branching in right angle, non-septated hyphae were observed in the biopsy of the nodular mass on the anterior chest wall. Chest CT and brain MRI found three pulmonary cavitary lesions and multiple small nodules with ring-enhancement in the cerebrum, cerebellum and the brainstem. Although 1,116mg of amphotericin B in sum was given with flucytosine, she expired due to progressive mucormycosis.

Keyword

mucormycosis; amphotericin B; Evans' syndrome

MeSH Terms

Amphotericin B
Biopsy
Brain
Brain Stem
Causality
Central Nervous System*
Cerebellum
Cerebrum
Diabetes Mellitus
Early Diagnosis
Flucytosine
Humans
Hyphae
Immunocompromised Host
Immunosuppression
Leukemia
Lung*
Lymphoma
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Mortality
Mucormycosis*
Thoracic Wall*
Thorax*
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Amphotericin B
Flucytosine