Rhinomucormycosis Resulting in Fatal Cerebral Mucormycosis

Abstract

The early identification of the primitive class of fungi, the Phycomycetes, in the biopsy and culture of the nasal and paranasal lesions of two diabetic patients led to the control of the spread of the fungi into the brain, where fatal cerebral mucormycosis might have resulted (Harris¹; Baker, Andrews and Izlar²). The fungi of the genus Rhizopus of the order Mucorales were identified in both patients. Fifteen of the seventeen recorded cases, including the present case, died as a result of the spread of the fungi into the brain (Table). Earlier recognition through biopsy or culture of the nasal or paranasal lesions may have averted cerebral spread and death. All of the reported cases had an underlying, debilitating disease. Uncontrolled or poorly controlled diabetes mellitus^1-7provided a favorable medium of growth of the fungi in 11 of the 17 recorded cases, including the present case. The underlying