Isolated Rhino-Orbital-Cerebral Mucormycosis. A Case Report and Literature Review

Mucormycosis represents an exceedingly rare invasive fungal infection, rapidly fatal if not promptly recognized and treated. Zygomycetes cause clinically relevant infections especially in elderly, diabetic or immunocompromised patients. Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (M-ROC) is the most common form of zygomycosis. Despite therapeutic progresses, M-ROC is still characterized by high mortality rates, estimated between 35 and 66%. The objectives of this report are to describe a case of M-ROC in a 60-year-old woman presenting with asthenia and mild persistent fever and to review the literature related to the subject. After medical and surgical treatment, the patient is alive at 32-months follow-up. Only a high suspect of the disease and the alert for subtle clinical signs may lead to the prompt identification of Mucormycosis and to adequate medical and surgical management, resulting in improvement of the already poor prognosis of such an invasive infection.