Rhinocerebral mucormycosis: a rare fungal infection linked to diabetes

Introduction Rhinocerebral mucormycosis is a rare life-threatening infection caused by fungi from the family of mucoraceae. Here we report a rare case of Rhinocerebral mucormycosis in a 67-year-old diabetic patient. Case Report A previously healthy 67-year-old male presented with swelling and pain over the left side of the face, deviation of the angle of the mouth to right side and drooling of saliva from left angle of mouth. CT scan of the brain suggested cavernous sinus thrombosis. Diagnosis of mucormycosis was confirmed by microbiological investigations on the nasal washing. The patient responded well to injectable Amphotericin B. Conclusion Rhinocerebral mucormycosis although is a rare entity, it should be kept in mind when handling cases with cavernous sinus thrombosis especially in patients with diabetes as they are associated with a high mortality rate. Introduction Mucormycosis is a rare but aggressive opportunistic fungal infection caused by the family of mucoraceae (Mucor, Rhizomucor, Rhizopus, Absidia species) that are commonly found in soil and among decaying vegetation1. These ubiquitous fungi become pathogenic in man under Rhinocerebral mucormycosis: a rare fungal infection