Rhino-Orbital mucormycosis in an immunocompetent pediatric patient with hyperglycemia of the hospitalized patient.

INTRODUCTION

Acute invasive rhino-orbital mucormycosis usually affects diabetic or neutropenic patients, and only exceptionally develops in immunocompetent adults and children.

METHODOLOGY: A 12-years-old immunocompetent female, presented with complicated rhinosinusitis with a subperiosteal orbital abscess, without improvement after initial medical and surgical management, the patient also developed hyperglycemia of the hospitalized patient that represented a challenging and potentially lethal clinical scenario.

RESULTS

Diagnosed with an unsuspected rhino-orbital mucormycosis by direct microscopy and PCR, she survived after amphotericin B and surgical treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

In cases with torpid clinical evolution, even in apparently immunocompetent patients, appropriate multidisciplinary workup must be performed to rule out opportunistic etiologies including mucormycosis to improve survival.