Disseminated zygomycosis simulating cerebrovascular disease and pulmonary alveolar haemorrhage in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may be complicated with serious cerebrovascular accidents and pulmonary alveolar haemorrhage. The authors report an autopsy-proven angioinvasive zygomycosis in a patient with SLE. The clinical features of systemic zygomycosis in this patient masqueraded as SLE-related stroke and pulmonary haemorrhage. The case demonstrates that the simultaneous occurrence of complications that clinically suggest pulmonary haemorrhage and multiple brain infarcts in SLE patients should include the rare disseminated zygomycosis in the differential diagnosis.