ABSTRACT
There has been a surge of rhino-orbital mucormycosis cases in India in the wake of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been widely suggested that dysglycemia resulting from diabetes which is a common comorbidity in COVID-19 patients, and indiscriminate steroid use has resulted in this surge. We report a series of 13 cases of rhino-orbital mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients admitted to our center between mid-April and early June 2021. The cases showed a male preponderance, two patients had loss of vision, and four of them showed intracranial extension of disease. Twelve patients had received steroids and 12 had preexisting or newly diagnosed diabetes, both steroid use and diabetes being the most common identified risk factors. Considering other possible risk factors, immunosuppressed state, antiviral or ayurvedic (Indian traditional) medications, and oxygen therapy were not associated with a definite risk of mucormycosis, because they were not present uniformly in the patients. We propose that COVID-19 itself, through molecular mechanisms, predisposes to mucormycosis, with other factors such as dysglycemia or steroid use increasing the risk.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/complications , Eye Diseases/diagnosis , Eye Infections, Fungal/virology , Mucormycosis/diagnosis , Mucormycosis/virology , Adult , Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use , COVID-19/epidemiology , Case-Control Studies , Comorbidity , Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology , Eye Diseases/drug therapy , Eye Diseases/epidemiology , Eye Diseases/virology , Eye Infections, Fungal/drug therapy , Eye Infections, Fungal/epidemiology , Female , Humans , India , Male , Middle Aged , Mucormycosis/drug therapy , Mucormycosis/mortality , Risk Factors , Steroids/therapeutic use , COVID-19 Drug TreatmentABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There has been a recent deluge of coronavirus disease 2019 associated mucormycosis in our country. It affects the paranasal sinuses; however, it has a rapid extrasinus progression (the orbit being most common), which can be fatal if not detected early. It may meander into the orbit through various foramina without frank bone destruction. METHODS: This paper reviews the various gateways of the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 associated mucormycosis to the orbit, even before advent of bone destruction or ocular symptoms. Plausible pathways of invasion and subtle imaging findings are depicted, to enable an early diagnosis. RESULTS: Relevant anatomy and imaging examples have been illustrated to familiarise the surgeons with various routes of coronavirus disease 2019 associated mucormycosis spread to the orbit. Emphasis is laid on searching for subtle imaging findings for the detection of early orbital invasion. CONCLUSION: Early detection and extension of coronavirus disease 2019 associated mucormycosis is facilitated by knowledge of its gateways of spread, which aids the surgeon in prognostication and planning of the surgical approach.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/microbiology , Eye Infections, Fungal/virology , Mucorales , Mucormycosis/virology , Orbital Diseases/microbiology , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , Medical IllustrationABSTRACT
Introducción: La úlcera corneal de etiología micótica por Lasiodiplodia theobromae es una patología infrecuente con menos de 50 casos de infección ocular por este patógeno reportados en la literatura. Objetivo: Dar a conocer un caso de una patología poco frecuente, haciendo una breve revisión de la literatura, y discutiendo el tratamiento elegido que resultó favorable. Diseño del estudio: Reporte de caso. Resumen del caso: Se presenta el caso de un paciente atendido en el Hospital Universitario de Santander (HUS) durante los años 2015 - 2017 con antecedente de trauma ocular con material vegetal quien desarrolla úlcera corneal micótica por Lasiodiplodia theobromae, que se confi rmó usando análisis microbiológico del frotis corneal. Se instauró tratamiento con una combinación de antimicóticos con un resultado final satisfactorio. Conclusión: L. theobromae es un patógeno oportunista. La importancia del diagnóstico precoz en estos casos, que requiere un alto índice de sospecha en pacientes con trauma vegetal, con la identificación del agente etiológico radica en evitar o minimizar consecuencias irreversibles mediante la instauración de un tratamiento oportuno.
Background: The corneal ulcer of mycotic etiology caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae is an infrequent pathology with less than 50 cases of ocular infection by this pathogen reported in the literature. Objective: To present a case of a rare pathology, make a brief literature review, and discuss the chosen treatment that was favorable. Study design: Case report. Case summary: We present the case of a patient treated at the Hospital Universitario de Santander (HUS) during the years 2015 - 2017 with a history of ocular trauma with plant material who developed fungal corneal ulcer by Lasiodiplodia theobromae, which was confi rmed using microbiological analysis of the corneal smear. Treatment with a combination of antifungals was established with a satisfactory final result. Conclusion: L. theobromae is an opportunistic pathogen. The importance of early diagnosis in these cases, which requires a high index of suspicion in patients with plant trauma, with the identifi cation of the etiological agent lies in avoiding or minimizing irreversible consequences through the establishment of an opportune treatment.
