Mucormycosis: A Case Report

CLINICAL CONTENT WRITTEN & REVIEWED BY CLOVE CLINICAL TEAM

Last Modified: December 7, 2023

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Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause respiratory tract infections. Severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is currently managed with systemic glucocorticoids. Opportunistic fungal infections are one such concern in these patients. Rhinocerebral or rhino- orbitocerebral (mucormycosis) zygomycosis (ROCZ) usually occurs among patients with comorbidities like poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, malignancies, iron overload or extensive burns, in patients undergoing treatment with glucocorticosteroid agents, or in patients with related to haematologic malignancies. The disease process starts with inhalation of the fungus into the paranasal sinuses. The fungus may spread to invade the palate, sphenoid sinus, cavernous sinus, orbits or cranially to invade the brain. Pain and swelling precede oral ulceration and the resulting tissue necrosis can result in palatal perforation. Infection extend from the sinuses into the mouth and produce painful, necrotic ulcerations of the hard palate. If untreated, infection usually spreads from the ethmoid sinus to the orbit, resulting in the loss of extraocular muscle function. Medical management includes use of amphotericin B and other drugs. Surgical treatment includes the resection of involved tissues of the face, including skin and muscle. The keys to successful therapy include diagnosis and early recognition of the signs and symptoms, correction of underlying medical disorders such as ketoacidosis, and aggressive medical and surgical interventions. We describe a case of maxillary mucormycosis in a 52-year-old man with diabetes and COVID-19. The case was diagnosed with mucormycosis days following admission for severe COVID-19 infection.