Chiasmal infarction and sudden blindness caused by mucormycosis in AIDS and diabetes mellitus.

PURPOSE: To report rapidly progressive rhino-orbitocerebral mucormycosis in a 47-year-old woman with both diabetes mellitus and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

METHOD: Case report including postmortem examination of the eyes, orbit, and brain of a patient with rhino-orbitocerebral mucormycosis, diabetes mellitus, and AIDS.

RESULTS

Invasion by hyphae of the Rhizopus species produced an occlusive vasculitis and massive infarction of the optic chiasm. Fungal organisms were discovered in multiple granulomata of the optic nerve.

CONCLUSION

Infarction at the optic chiasm probably caused sudden blindness in this patient.