Two Cases of Rhino-Orbito-Cerebral Mucormycosis

ABSTRACT

Rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis is the most acutely fatal fungal infection. Diabetes mellitus is the most common underlying condition and other predisposing factors include severe burn, blood dyscrasia, renal disease, sepsis, leukemia and immunosuppresive therapy. The organism has the propensity to invade the blood vessels, producing arteritis, thrombosis and secondary ishemia and tissue necrosis. The authors report two cases of rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis accompanying central retinal arterial occlusion and ophthalmoplegia in a 62-year-old woman and a 52-year-old man with diabetes mellitus.