Invasive <i>aspergillus</i> of the head and neck

Abstract

Invasive fungal infections of the head and neck are uncommon. The most common organism is Mucor which is classically seen in diabetic individuals in or immediately after a bout of ketoacidosis. This report outlines our experience of four cases of invasive fungal disease caused by the Aspergillus species. All four patients in this series were profoundly granulocytopenic. Three of the four patients remained profoundly immunocompromised and succumbed to infections. One patient recovered immune competence and became a long term survivor after antifungal chemotherapy and debridement of necrotic tissue. The literature on invasive Aspergillus of the head and neck is reviewed. Some recent insights in the medicine literature concerning the epidemiology of the more common pulmonary form of this invasive disease are also discussed.