Survival from rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis in SARS-COV-2 positive diabetic patients: Two case reports

Abstract

Introduction Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) is a rare angioinvasive fungal infection known to be associated with high morbidity and over 50% mortality. ROCM is becoming more common due to an increase in predisposing immunocompromising comorbidities as well as COVID-19. Case Presentations We report two cases – a 75-year-old woman with diabetes and a 39-year-old man with recurrent diabetic ketoacidosis. Both presented initially with acute sinonasal symptoms, were positive for SARS-CoV-2, and diagnosed with acute ROCM. Both underwent mutilating surgical therapy as well as high-dose amphotericin B treatment. With continued oral antifungal treatment, Patient 1 showed stable symptoms despite radiographically increasing disease and died of urosepsis 5 months after first surgery. With posaconazole treatment, Patient 2 recovered from the disease and showed no clinical sign of disease progression after 1 year. Conclusion Despite the rarity of the disease, ROCM should be considered if the findings of clinical and radiological examination fit, so that a delay in treatment initiation can be avoided. As our both cases show, survival from ROCM is possible – albeit at a high cost.