A meta-analysis of survival factors in rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis-has anything changed in the past 20 years?

Role of liposomal amphotericin B in intensive care unit: an expert opinion paper

INTRODUCTION

Invasive fungal infections (IFI) are frequent in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). The use of first-line antifungals like triazoles or echinocandins may be limited by the global spread of multi-drug resistance species, drug-drug interactions, low organ penetration, and some safety concerns in case of multi-organ failure. Liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB) is a polyene drug with a broad activity against mold and yeast and an acceptable safety profile. To outline the role of L-AmB in the treatment of IFI in critically ill patients, a panel of experts was invited to draw up an expert opinion paper on the appropriate place in therapy of L-AmB in different clinical scenarios of patients admitted to ICU.

METHODS

A multidisciplinary group of 16 specialists in infectious disease, microbiology, pharmacology, and intensive care elaborated an expert opinion document through a multi-step approach: (1) the scientific panel defined the items and wrote the statements on the management of IFI in ICU, (2) a survey was submitted to an external panel to express agreement or disagreement on the statements, and (3) the panel reviewed the survey and implemented the final document.

RESULTS

The final document included 35 statements that focused on epidemiology and microbiological rationale of the use of systemic L-AmB in critically ill patients and its potential role in specific clinical scenarios in the ICU.

CONCLUSION

Systemic L-AmB may represent an appropriate therapeutic choice for IFI in ICU patients with different underlying conditions, especially when the use of first-line agents is undermined. This expert opinion paper may provide a useful guide for clinicians.

Non-Candida mycosis in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: perspective of a low-incidence region

BACKGROUND

Fungal pathogens are ubiquitous microorganisms that are implicated in a wide range of infections, affecting individuals with underlying health conditions and immune suppression therapy; however, immunocompetent individuals may also be at risk. Among these infections, many are caused by molds and yeasts other than Candida and are recognized in clinical practice, such as aspergillosis, mucormycosis, fusariosis, phaeohyphomycosis, and basidiobolomycosis, among others, each presents different clinical manifestations and requires clinical management specific to the site of involvement. Although pathogenic fungal contaminants and potential sources of mycosis in humans are plentiful in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, epidemiological reports regarding mycosis in the region are scarce.

AIM

The aim of this review is to shed some light on the epidemiology of clinically associated molds and yeasts other than Candida and to survey all related case reports and epidemiological studies conducted in the GCC over the past 10 years.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of the Medline (PubMed) and Scopus databases was conducted using the following keywords: Aspergillosis, Mycosis, Mucormycosis, Fusarium, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. A timeframe was set to include only articles that were published from 2014 to 2024.

RESULTS

One hundred thirty-five of the 1563 articles examined fulfilled the purpose of this review. Most studies were in Saudi Arabia (45%), Qatar (18%) and Kuwait (16%). Mucormycosis, aspergillosis, phaeohyphomycosis and basidiobolomycosis were among the most commonly reported fungal infections in the GCC, with corresponding mortality rates of 53%, 37%, 69% and 24%, respectively. The average estimations of non-Candida fungal infections indicate a low regional incidence in comparison with global estimations.

CONCLUSION

Awareness and a high index of suspicion are warranted in successfully managing non-Candida mycosis. More specific immunological and molecular markers are needed for differential diagnosis to rule out fungal infections. Additionally, incorporating non-Candida mycosis-related antifungal resistance surveys in GCC national surveillance efforts should be enforced, especially when considering the increase in global mycosis rates.

Invasive fungal rhinosinusitis: current evidence and research opportunities

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To summarize the evidence surrounding diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and surveillance of patients with acute invasive fungal sinusitis (AIFS) and discuss future research needs.

RECENT FINDINGS

New risk factors for AIFS such as COVID have been identified, and a new prognostic staging system has been developed.

SUMMARY

Most patients who develop AIFS are immunocompromised, with the majority having a history of diabetes or a hematologic malignancy. Unfortunately, there are not any highly sensitive and specific diagnostic tools. Therefore, a combination of signs and symptoms, imaging, endoscopy, biopsy, and labs should be used to diagnosis AIFS. Although surgery and systemic antifungals are known to improve outcomes, there is limited data on time to intervention, duration of antifungals, and surveillance patterns. There is also limited information on factors that can predict outcomes in AIFS patients. However, sensory/perceptual changes, prolonged neutropenia duration, and comorbidity burden may be associated with a poor prognosis.

The Importance of MRI in the Early Diagnosis of Acute Invasive Fungal Rhinosinusitis

Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (AIFR) is a rare, severe, and life-threatening opportunistic infection associated with high mortality and morbidity. Rapid and accurate diagnosis and treatment are crucial for survival and effective disease management. Diagnosing AIFR is challenging because no single pathognomonic feature exists other than surgical biopsy showing fungal angioinvasion and necrosis. This narrative review focuses on the diagnostic challenges and pitfalls, emphasizing the critical clinical value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for early diagnosis of AIFR. It includes selected cases that illustrate the significance of MRI. When AIFR is suspected, clinical symptoms, nasal endoscopy, blood samples, and facial computed tomography all provide non-specific information. In contrast, MRI can identify signs of devitalized sinonasal mucosa consistent with AIFR. The absence of mucosal enhancement on T1-weighted images, combined with restricted diffusivity, are characteristic MRI features of AIFR. The cases presented underscore the usefulness of MRI in supporting clinical suspicion of AIFR and accurately determining its topography, thereby guiding early surgical biopsies and debridement. In suspected cases of AIFR, MRI serves as a valuable supplementary, non-invasive tool to help determine whether prompt surgical biopsy or debridement is necessary, thereby enhancing early diagnosis and improving survival rates. Therefore, the threshold for conducting an MRI in these cases should be low.

Estimation of the pattern of ocular manifestations, risk factors, and imaging of rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients

Purpose

To estimate the pattern of ocular manifestations, as observed clinically and radiologically, and associated risk factors in cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related rhino-orbital cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) during the second wave at presentation to the hospital in northern India.

Materials and Methods

A total of 35 patients of ROCM associated with active cases of COVID-19 or recovered cases of COVID-19 presenting to the Ophthalmology outpatient department or admitted in the COVID ward of the hospital with clinical features suggestive of ROCM. They were confirmed as mucormycosis on KOH and fungal cultures of nasal scrapings and histopathology of debrided tissue. This is an ambispective study with retrospective medical records review for COVID-19 analysis and prospective assessment of ROCM-associated COVID-19 during the second outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

The total patients included were 35, which ranged in the age group of 52.91+/- 11.93 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 24:11. The duration between the first positive COVID report and onset of COVID-19-associated ROCM was 9.46+/-11.63 days. The majority (82.9%; n-29) either were diabetics or had high blood glucose levels during the recent COVID-19 infection. 45.7% of patients gave a history of steroid therapy. The most common ocular clinical features were ptosis (80%) and loss of vision 48.7%, respectively. There was diffuse involvement of sinuses in 18 cases (51.4%). Staging based on magnetic resonance imaging scans showed that 7 (20%) had stage II, 20 (57.1%) had stage III, and 28.7% had stage IV disease. Ten patients had varied intracranial extension ranging from meningitis and cavernous sinus thrombophlebitis/thrombosis to brain abscess.

Conclusions

COVID-associated ROCM was very rapidly spreading and more destructive. Ptosis and loss of vision related to third nerve involvement and CRAO, respectively, were alarming signs and bad prognostic indicators to the patient. Intracranial involvement and CRAO were poor prognostic features in this type of mucormycosis.

Pulmonary mucormycosis in an immunocompetent young female: a case report and literature review

Mucormycosis is considered a rare but highly lethal fungal infection, often occurring in patients with poorly controlled diabetes or immunosuppression. Pulmonary mucormycosis progresses rapidly and is often associated with pulmonary infarction and hemoptysis. In this case report, we presented a young, immunocompetent female patient with newly diagnosed diabetes who was diagnosed early with Rhizopus delemar infection through metagenomic next-generation sequencing. Despite early diagnosis, the infection progressed rapidly, invading the tracheal cartilage and upper mediastinal soft tissue, ultimately leading to the patient's unfortunate demise.

Recent Advances in Diagnostic Approaches for Mucormycosis

Mucormycosis, an invasive fungal infection caused by members of the order Mucorales, often progresses fulminantly if not recognized in a timely manner. This comprehensive review discusses the latest developments in diagnostic approaches for mucormycosis, from traditional histopathology and culture-based methods to advanced and emerging techniques such as molecular assays, imaging, serology, and metabolomics. We discuss challenges in the diagnosis of mucormycosis and emphasize the importance of rapid and accurate identification of this life-threatening infection.

A case report: Comorbidity of Rhinocerebral mucormycosis and pulmonary aspergillosis with challenging diagnosis

Background

Mucormycosis is a rare opportunistic invasive fungal disease. Rhinocerebral mucormycosis (RCM) is clinically difficult to diagnose, and patients often die due to delayed diagnosis.

Case description

A patient with concurrent pulmonary aspergillosis was diagnosed with RCM caused by Rhizopus through metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing (mNGS). Despite comprehensive treatment including surgery, amphotericin B, and posaconazole, the patient tragically passed away. The treatment was delayed due to repeated cultures of secretions were negative and pathological examination could not clarify which fungus is infected.

Conclusion

The clinical manifestations of RCM are not specific in the early stage, but the infection progresses rapidly. Therefore, early and accurate diagnosis is very important. mNGS is helpful for patients suspected of RCM, especially when conventional microbiology tests were negative.

Use of Miconazole Cream As Adjunctive Therapy to Treat Isolated Sinus Mucormycosis: A Case Report and Literature Review

Black fungus, also known as mucormycosis, is one of the most serious infections affecting immunocompromised individuals. Invasive fungal sinusitis due to mucormycosis is quite rare globally. Hence, this article presents a case report of invasive fungal sinusitis in a 53-year-old diabetic female who presented to the emergency department with a severe case of diabetic ketoacidosis secondary to acute sinusitis, which was confirmed by histopathology to be mucormycosis. An extensive surgical debridement and liposomal amphotericin B were the mainstay of treatment. The treatment of mucormycosis consists of treating the underlying disease, antifungal therapy, and surgical debridement. Also, previous studies have discussed the use of medical therapy alone, surgical therapy alone, and combination therapy. It was found that the combination of medical and surgical therapy was the most effective method in treating this condition. However, the high mortality rate of this disease indicates the need for a possible adjuvant therapy which could increase the survival rate. Therefore, recent studies have proposed new adjuvant modalities, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy and local treatment with amphotericin B. In this study, we propose a new adjuvant therapy using local miconazole cream which showed a good prognosis with the combination of oral amphotericin B and surgical debridement. This highlights the necessity for extensive future clinical trials to validate its effectiveness in treating isolated sinus mucormycosis.

Number of sinus procedures reduces inpatient mortality for invasive fungal rhinosinusitis

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate surgical outcomes of invasive fungal rhinosinusitis MATERIALS AND METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample Database (2000-2015 Q3) was queried for patients with a diagnosis of aspergillosis and/or mucormycosis and a diagnosis of acute sinusitis using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition. Factors associated with inpatient mortality were then identified with multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

514 adult patients with a median age of 57.0 years were identified, of which 231 (44.9 %) underwent sinus surgery. Surgical patients had a longer length of stay (17.0 vs 9.0 days, p < 0.001) and higher total charges ($139,762.00 vs $57,945.00, p < 0.001). The number of sinus procedures was associated with reduced odds of inpatient mortality (OR 0.69; p < 0.001) in multivariate analysis. Hypertension (OR 0.34, p = 0.002) and chronic kidney disease (OR 0.23, p = 0.034) were associated with reduced odds of inpatient mortality. Total number of procedures (OR 1.24; p = 0.002), mucormycosis (OR 2.75, p = 0.002), age (OR 1.03, p = 0.006) and acid-base disorders (OR 2.85, p = 0.012) were associated with increased odds of inpatient mortality.

CONCLUSION

This represents the first large scale study to evaluate outcomes for invasive fungal rhinosinusitis. These findings suggest the odds of inpatient mortality decrease with greater extent of sinus surgery performed. The potentially protective roles of hypertension and chronic kidney disease should be evaluated in future research.

Rhinocerebral mucormycosis and Trichosporon asahii fungemia in a pediatric patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a rare coinfection

Mucormycosis is a rare life-threatening opportunistic infection, with rhinocerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) being the most common presentation. Trichosporon asahii is an emerging pathogen that often causes fatal infections in patients with underlying hematologic malignancies due to its high drug resistance. We report a rare case of concomitant rhinocerebral mucormycosis and T. asahii fungemia secondary to Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis in a patient with neutropenia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A boy aged one year and two months was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia on January 10 and underwent three courses of regular chemotherapy. He experienced neutropenia for 154 days and was hospitalized for vomiting, diarrhea and fever for 3 days. The day after hospitalization, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated by blood culture and ceftazidime/avibactam was administered. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) was used to provide continuous extracorporeal respiration and circulation for the patient. On day 8, the patient developed T. asahii fungemia. On day 10, he presented with necrotizing skin caused by Rhizopus delemar. He was treated with liposomal amphotericin B for Rhizopus delemar and voriconazole for T. asahii infection. Unfortunately, his health deteriorated and he died on day 11 due to the rapid progression of the infection and multiple organ failure. The management and treatment of such a complex infection requires a multidisciplinary approach and close monitoring of the patient's condition. Therefore, it is imperative to continue to research and report rare cases such as this to further understand the complexities of mucormycosis and trichosporidiosis coinfection and improve patient outcomes.

Manifestations of Mucormycosis and Its Complications in COVID-19 Patients: A Case Series Study

OBJECTIVE

Mucormycosis is an opportunistic fungal disease that affects immunocompromised patients. With the advent of SARS-CoV-2, this opportunistic disease has increased.

METHODS

A case series of 47 patients with COVID-19 associated mucormycosis have been analyzed. Demographic information, signs, symptoms, laboratory investigations, imaging studies, and their association with ICU admission and 30-day mortality were assessed.

RESULTS

Total number of 47 consecutive rhino-orbital cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) cases were analyzed. Periorbital swelling was the most common sign among patients. Majority of cases had diabetes. All patients received liposomal Amphotericin B. Debridement was performed for all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

SARS-CoV-2 increases the susceptibility to mucormycosis infection in various ways. Uncontrolled level of HbA1c in all patients, even non-diabetic individuals, indicates hyperglycemia over the past three months. Diabetes, orbital exenteration, ptosis, periorbital swelling, DKA, LOC, brain involvement, and mechanical ventilation all correlated with a higher rate of ICU admission and 30-day mortality. In addition, a higher white blood cell count is related to the higher probability of ICU admission. While considering all of the inflammatory laboratory data and HbA1c could help predict 30-day mortality.

Rare case of a chronic rhinocerebral mucormycosis

We describe a case of rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) in a diabetic patient. She presented with cavernous sinus syndrome and ischemia of the optic nerve. Initially unremarkable findings in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinus delayed early diagnosis. Within two weeks, a follow-up MRI showing progressive orbital inflammation, thrombosis of the cavernous sinus and erosive destruction of the left middle nasal concha together with necrotic black tissue in the left nasal cavity and destruction of the maxillary sinus demonstrated in a consecutively performed ethmoidectomy, finally gave way to diagnosis. Definite diagnosis was established by histopathology and culture. Treatment consisted of a combination of liposomal Amphotericin B, partial surgical resection and improved diabetes control. Despite insufficient surgical treatment, the progression of the disease was remarkably slow - a typical hallmark of chronic ROCM. With this case report we aim to underline the difficulties in establishing a prompt diagnosis of ROCM and to remind readers of its chronic form. 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rhinocerebral mucormycosis in immunocompetent patients: a case report and review of literature

INTRODUCTION

Mucormycosis of the head and neck region is a rare but aggressive fungal infection that usually involves immunocompromised patients. More infrequently, this infection can also occur in people with no otherwise known underlying immunological deficit. This rarity usually causes a delay in diagnosis and may severely decrease the chance of survival in these patients. In this study, we present an extreme case of mucormycosis in an immunocompetent patient. By conducting a thorough review of the literature, we aim to increase our knowledge on this matter. Our goal is to improve diagnosis and start treatment at an earlier stage.

CASE PRESENTATION AND METHODS

Our patient was a 31-year-old man who presented with bilateral face numbness, neck pain, headache, and a necrotic palatal lesion 45 days after a dental root canal procedure. There was extensive involvement of facial and skull base bony and soft tissues. Through two debridement sessions and intravenous antifungal treatment, the patient was discharged with near-complete disease resolution. We identified 48 cases in the literature that matched our study criteria. We searched the current literature for proven cases of mucormycosis in the head and neck region who didn't have any underlying disease. We extracted their data and added the data of our patient. Then, we re-analyzed them using descriptive analysis, chi-square, and binary logistic regression to better understand the different factors for survival and disease burden in these patients.

RESULTS

49 patients were analyzed in this study. The mean age was 46.93 ± 15.75 (min 16 and max78 years old). The most prevalent subsite to be involved was the sino-nasal mucosa, followed by the surrounding soft tissues and the orbit. While both orbit and intracranial tissue involvement differed significantly between surviving and deceased patients, only intracranial tissue involvement could be used to predict survival. The overall survival rate was 91.8%.

CONCLUSION

Although very rare, mucormycosis can occur in immunocompetent patients. Physicians should consider mucormycosis when faced with refractory conditions and unusual symptoms such as exposed bones, facial numbness, headaches, and intractable pain. Complementary imaging (CT scan with or without MRI) and histopathological examination are critical for timely diagnosis or exclusion of this potentially fatal yet treatable disease.

Mucormycosis mimicking portal hypertensive haemorrhage as a complication of alcoholic liver cirrhosis: a case report

Mucor is a rare cause of gastrointestinal ulcers. This case describes a case of mucormycosis that occurred in a patient with liver cirrhosis who was hospitalized to accept a splenectomy for traumatic splenic rupture. During the perioperative period, the patient developed upper gastrointestinal bleeding(UGIB), which was diagnosed as mucormycosis-related gastric ulcer according to gastroscopy. Patients with liver cirrhosis often get UGIB for Portal hypertension, but they also can develop UGIB for multiple other reasons, including infectious ulcers for immunosuppression. The case emphasizes the importance of excluding fungal-induced ulcer haemorrhage before diagnosing Portal hypertensive-induced variceal haemorrhage in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Factors affecting clinical outcome in COVID-associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (CAROM) patients-An ambispective, single-arm, observational study

BACKGROUND

COVID-associated Rhino-Orbito-Cerebral Mucormycosis (CAROM) appeared as an epidemic in India during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic during the months of March to May 2021. Though many reports have highlighted cross sectional and short-term attributes related to CAROM, long term follow up data is sparse.

OBJECTIVE

This report aims to analyze the follow-up outcomes in consecutive patients presenting to us during the epidemic.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was an ambispective observational analytical study, recruiting the consecutive patients admitted to our tertiary care centre during the period of the CAROM epidemic. The mortality rate during the follow-up and various factors affecting survival were studied using univariable and multivariable statistics with the Stata 14.0 software.

RESULTS

Of the 189 patients studied, eight were lost to follow-up. The outcome analysis was performed for the 181 patients. 93.6 % (162/173) of the patients had diabetes. The All-cause mortality was 45 % (81/181), while the ROCM-specific mortality was found to be 24 % (46/181) at a median follow-up of 176 days (IQR: 21-217 days). With univariable analysis, increasing age, higher serum IL-6 levels, presence of additional comorbidities (in addition to Diabetes and hypertension), bilateral disease, skin necrosis, palatal involvement, infratemporal fossa involvement, and impaired vision/ocular movements were found to be associated with increased mortality. However, on multivariable analysis, only 1) increasing age, 2) raised serum IL-6 levels, and 3) bilateral disease were predictive of increased mortality. Surgical debridement (endoscopic, palatal removal, orbital exenteration, neurosurgical intervention) was associated with significantly reduced mortality on both univariable and multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSION

Our intermediate-term follow-up data showed advanced age at presentation, raised IL-6 levels, and bilateral sinonasal involvement to be predictive of increased mortality, while surgical debridement is significantly protective from mortality in CAROM patients.

Misdiagnosis of fungal infections of the orbit

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the accuracy of the initial diagnosis in the case of fungal infections of the orbit and identify factors that may influence patient outcomes.

METHODS

An institutional review board-approved retrospective chart review was conducted across 2 large academic centres to identify cases of fungal infections involving the orbit from January 1, 1998, to November 15, 2019. Data collected included patient demographics, past medical history, examination findings, diagnosis, treatment, imaging, and outcomes.

RESULTS

Fifty cases of fungal infection involving the orbit were identified. Of these, 33 (66.0%) were initially misdiagnosed as nonfungal diagnoses. Sixteen patients (32.0%) received multiple initial diagnoses. The most common diagnoses on presentation were bacterial cellulitis (n = 12 of 50; 24.0%) and bacterial sinusitis (n = 12 of 50; 24.0%). These were followed by vascular and orbital inflammatory conditions (n = 9 of 50; 18.0%): 5 patients (10.0%) were clinically diagnosed with giant cell arteritis, 3 (6.0%) with nonspecific orbital inflammation, and 1 (2.0%) with optic neuritis. In this subset of patients, 77.8% (n = 7 of 9) were treated initially with systemic steroids. Additional initial diagnoses included neoplastic mass lesions, mucocele, dacryocystitis, cavernous sinus thrombosis, hemorrhage, tick-borne illness, allergic rhinitis, and allergic conjunctivitis. Misdiagnosis was significantly correlated with involvement of the masticator space on imaging (p = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

Fungal infections of the orbit are misdiagnosed in 2 of 3 cases. Nearly 15% of patients who are later diagnosed with fungal disease of the orbit were initially treated with systemic steroids. Misdiagnosis is more frequent when the masticator space is involved.

Lack of surgical resection is associated with increased early mortality in hematological patients complicated with rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis

Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM), which is an acute fatal infectious disease with a high mortality rate, is increasingly being diagnosed in patients with hematological diseases worldwide. We aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of hematological diseases complicated by ROCM. Our sample comprised a total of 60 ROCM patients with hematological diseases. The most common primary disease was acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (n=27, 45.0%), while 36 patients (60.0%) were diagnosed with a clear type of pathogen, all belonging to the Mucorales, most commonly Rhizopus (41.7%). Of the 32 patients (53.3%) who died, 19 (59.3%) died of mucormycosis, and 84.2% (n=16) of those died within 1 month. Forty-eight cases (80.0%) received antifungal treatment combined with surgical therapy, 12 of whom (25.0%) died of mucormycosis, amounting to a mortality rate that was significantly lower than in patients who received antifungal therapy alone (n=7, 58.3%) (P=0.012). The median neutrophil value of patients who underwent surgery was 0.58 (0.11-2.80) 103/μL, the median platelet value was 58.00 (17.00-93.00) 103/μL, and no surgery-related deaths were reported. Multivariate analysis showed that patient's advanced age (P=0.012, OR=1.035 (1.008-1.064)) and lack of surgical treatment (P=0.030, OR=4.971 (1.173-21.074)) were independent prognostic factors.In this study, hematological diseases associated with ROCM have a high mortality rate. Lack of surgical treatment is an independent prognostic factor for death from mucormycosis. Surgery may therefore be considered in patients with hematological disease even if their neutrophil and platelet values are lower than normal.

Difficulty in management of acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case report

Invasive fungal rhinosinusitis is a rare disease with a high morbidity and mortality rate. Lately, COVID-19 has been associated with an increased incidence of this disease. We present the first case of COVID-19-associated acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis found in Indonesia. The risk factors for the disease include corticosteroid use and antibiotic use. The case was complicated with left orbital cellulitis and cerebral abscess. Difficulty of management in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic includes hesitancy of the patient to seek medical care and the availability of surgical team for COVID-19-positive patients. Monitoring of corticosteroid and antibiotic use must be emphasized during the pandemic. Awareness of the disease needs to be increased in Indonesia.

Diagnosis, Prognosticators, and Management of Acute Invasive Fungal Rhinosinusitis: Multidisciplinary Consensus Statement and Evidence-Based Review with Recommendations

BACKGROUND

Acute invasive fungal sinusitis (AIFS) is an aggressive disease that requires prompt diagnosis and multidisciplinary treatment given its rapid progression. However, there is currently no consensus on diagnosis, prognosis, and management strategies for AIFS, with multiple modalities routinely employed. The purpose of this multi-institutional and multidisciplinary evidence-based review with recommendations (EBRR) is to thoroughly review the literature on AIFS, summarize the existing evidence, and provide recommendations on the management of AIFS.

METHODS

The PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were systematically reviewed from inception through January 2022. Studies evaluating management for orbital, non-sinonasal head and neck, and intracranial manifestations of AIFS were included. An iterative review process was utilized in accordance with EBRR guidelines. Levels of evidence and recommendations on management principles for AIFS were generated.

RESULTS

A review and evaluation of published literature was performed on 12 topics surrounding AIFS (signs and symptoms, laboratory and microbiology diagnostics, endoscopy, imaging, pathology, surgery, medical therapy, management of extrasinus extension, reversing immunosuppression, and outcomes and survival). The aggregate quality of evidence was varied across reviewed domains.

CONCLUSION

Based on the currently available evidence, judicious utilization of a combination of history and physical examination, laboratory and histopathologic techniques, and endoscopy provide the cornerstone for accurate diagnosis of AIFS. In addition, AIFS is optimally managed by a multidisciplinary team via a combination of surgery (including resection whenever possible), antifungal therapy, and correcting sources of immunosuppression. Higher quality (i.e., prospective) studies are needed to better define the roles of each modality and determine diagnosis and treatment algorithms.

Comparative genomics predict specific genes in potential mucorales identification

Mucoralean fungi could cause mucormycosis in humans, particularly in immunodeficient individuals and those with diabetes mellitus or trauma. With plenty of species and genera, their molecular identification and pathogenicity have a large deviation. Reported cases of mucormycosis showed frequent occurrence in Rhizopus species, Mucor species, and Lichtheimia species. We analyzed the whole genome sequences of 25 species of the top 10 Mucorales genera, along with another 22 important pathogenic non-Mucorales species, to dig the target genes for monitoring Mucorales species and identify potential genomic imprints of virulence in them. Mucorales-specific genes have been found in various orthogroups extracted by Python script, while genus-specific genes were annotated covering cellular structure, biochemistry metabolism, molecular processing, and signal transduction. Proteins related to the virulence of Mucorales species varied with distinct significance in copy numbers, in which Orthofinder was conducted. Based on our fresh retrospective analysis of mucormycosis, a comparative genomic analysis of pathogenic Mucorales was conducted in more frequent pathogens. Specific orthologs between Mucorales and non-Mucoralean pathogenic fungi were discussed in detail. Referring to the previously reported virulence proteins, we included more frequent pathogenic Mucorales and compared them in Mucorales species and non-Mucorales species. Besides, more samples are needed to further verify the potential target genes.

Mucormycosis: A 14-Year Retrospective Study from a Tertiary Care Center in Lebanon

Mucormycosis (MCM) is a serious invasive fungal disease (IFD) that is associated with high mortality, particularly in immunocompromised patients. A global surge in MCM cases was reported with the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed all recorded cases of MCM at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), a tertiary care center in Lebanon, over 14 years. We aimed to identify the incidence, seasonal variation, clinical characteristics of the patients, and predictors of mortality. We conducted a retrospective chart review between 1 January 2008 and 1 January 2023. All patients with proven or probable MCM were included in the study. Proven or probable MCM was defined by positive histopathology and/or positive cultures. A total of 43 patients were identified as having MCM. Their median age was 53 years, and the majority were males (58.1%). Most of the cases were diagnosed in the autumn season. In total, 67.4% of the patients had hematological malignancies (HMs), and 34.9% had uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (DM). The most common site of involvement was rhino-orbital-cerebral MCM (ROCM) (74%). The annual cases of MCM per 100,000 patient days increased markedly during the years of the COVID-19 pandemic (from 0 to 4.4 cases/100,000 patient days to 7.5 cases/100,000 during 2020 and 2021). Liposomal amphotericin (Ampho) B was used as a first-line agent in most of the patients (86%). The median duration of total in-hospital antifungal therapy was 21 days and 51.2% of the patients received step-down therapy with azoles. Surgical debridement and isolated ROCM were significantly associated with survival (p-value: 0.02 and <0.001, respectively). All-cause mortality was 46.7%, with chronic renal disease being significantly associated with mortality (p-value < 0.05). The incidence of MCM has been increasing at our institution, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Early diagnosis, treatment, and surgical debridement improve patient outcomes and overall survival.

In Vivo Microevolutionary Analysis of a Fatal Case of Rhinofacial and Disseminated Mycosis Due to Azole-Drug-Resistant Candida Species

Ten Candida species strains were isolated from the first known fatal case of rhinofacial and rhino-orbital-cerebral candidiasis. Among them, five strains of Candida parapsilosis complex were isolated during the early stage of hospitalization, while five strains of Candida tropicalis were isolated in the later stages of the disease. Using whole-genome sequencing, we distinguished the five strains of C. parapsilosis complex as four Candida metapsilosis strains and one Candida parapsilosis strain. Antifungal susceptibility testing showed that the five strains of C. parapsilosis complex were susceptible to all antifungal drugs, while five C. tropicalis strains had high minimum inhibitory concentrations to azoles, whereas antifungal-drug resistance gene analysis revealed the causes of azole resistance in such strains. For the first time, we analyzed the microevolutionary characteristics of pathogenic fungi in human hosts and inferred the infection time and parallel evolution of C. tropicalis strains. Molecular clock analysis revealed that azole-resistant C. tropicalis infection occurred during the first round of therapy, followed by divergence via parallel evolution in vivo. The presence/absence variations indicated a potential decrease in the virulence of genomes in strains isolated following antifungal drug treatment, despite the absence of observed clinical improvement in the conditions of the patient. These results suggest that genomic analysis could serve as an auxiliary tool in guiding clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Mucormycosis: A Case Series

Mucormycosis is a potentially life-threatening invasive fungal infection caused by diverse fungal organisms in the order Mucorales. Traditional risk factors of mucormycosis include poorly controlled diabetes, hematological malignancies such as leukemia and lymphoma, and post-transplant patients, with rhino-orbito-cerebral and pulmonary mucormycosis as common manifestations. We report four cases of mucormycosis precipitated by classical as well as atypical risk factors, with common sites of infection such as pulmonary and rhino-orbital to rare manifestations such as peritoneal mucormycosis. Diagnoses were confirmed by either a histopathological sample or a positive culture. Only one patient had concomitant positive culture and histopathology results. Low culture positivity rate has delayed the diagnosis of two cases. First-line antifungal therapy was limited to amphotericin B deoxycholate in three cases due to financial cost, but all patients responded to the treatment. There were two mortalities, but both were unrelated to disease progression. All cases had source control done, except for the patient with pulmonary mucormycosis, due to poor lung reserve which refrained him from surgery. With emerging evidence of local therapies for endobronchial lesions, they potentially serve as an alternative for patients who are not suitable for operation. This case series also aims to contribute to the local epidemiology of mucormycosis, highlights the importance of early diagnosis, and draws attention from stakeholders to the challenges faced in managing this life-threatening infection.

Epidemiology, Modern Diagnostics, and the Management of Mucorales Infections

Mucormycosis is an uncommon, yet deadly invasive fungal infection caused by the Mucorales moulds. These pathogens are a WHO-assigned high-priority pathogen group, as mucormycosis incidence is increasing, and there is unacceptably high mortality with current antifungal therapies. Current diagnostic methods have inadequate sensitivity and specificity and may have issues with accessibility or turnaround time. Patients with diabetes mellitus and immune compromise are predisposed to infection with these environmental fungi, but COVID-19 has established itself as a new risk factor. Mucorales also cause healthcare-associated outbreaks, and clusters associated with natural disasters have also been identified. Robust epidemiological surveillance into burden of disease, at-risk populations, and emerging pathogens is required. Emerging serological and molecular techniques may offer a faster route to diagnosis, while newly developed antifungal agents show promise in preliminary studies. Equitable access to these emerging diagnostic techniques and antifungal therapies will be key in identifying and treating mucormycosis, as delayed initiation of therapy is associated with higher mortality.

Rhino orbital cerebral mucormycosis in settings of COVID-19 infection: A case series of thirteen patients

Rhino orbital cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) is an important infectious disease encountered in large numbers in this recent post-COVID-19 era. An alteration in the defense immune system during COVID-19 illness; in the presence of uncontrolled hyperglycemia has led to the new epidemic of ROCM, especially in developing nations such as India. This case series of thirteen patients illustrates the various clinical presentations, laboratory parameters, imaging features and outcomes of patients with ROCM admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Northern India. In our case series, a total of 13 newly diagnosed cases of rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis were studied. A history of COVID-19 illness was observed in seven cases (53.8%) with a mean duration of mucormycosis after 25 ± 3.6 days, the use of steroids during COVID-19 illness was seen in 5 cases (38.5%), and oxygen therapy was given in 4 cases (30.8%). A comorbid state in the form of diabetes mellitus was present in 12 cases (92.3%) with a mean duration of 16.69 months, with an important finding of seven cases (53.85%) having new-onset diabetes; hypertension was present in three cases (23.1%). Magnetic resonance imaging of paranasal sinuses showed involvement of multiple sinuses in all 13 cases (100%), including maxillary and ethmoidal sinuses, with frontal involvement in 12 cases (92.3%), sphenoidal involvement in 11 cases (84.6%), symmetric involvement in 9 cases (69.2%), mastoiditis in four cases (30.8%), maxillary space involvement in four cases (30.8%), and palatal involvement in one case (7.7%). On statistical analysis, there was a significant association of new-onset diabetes, optic neuropathy and high C reactive protein with blindness (P-value < 0.05) in our study. However, there were no statistically significant association for the involvement of nervous system in our study. Multispecialty approach treatment was given in the liposomal amphotericin B therapy in all the patients along with thorough endo-nasal debridement done in all cases, transcutaneous retrobulbar amphotericin B in six cases (46.2%) with exenteration done in seven patients (53.9%). At 3 months of follow-up, there was substantial clinical improvement in all cases. There should be definite emphasis on high suspicion of mucor clinically for early diagnosis and aggressive management at the initial state of diagnosis for better outcomes. The need for sustained proper glycemic control during the COVID-19 era along with judicious use of steroids and public awareness of early symptoms and manifestations of mucor can curb the magnitude of such potentially opportunistic epidemics to a substantial rate. New-onset diabetes mellitus, optic neuropathy and high C reactive protein (>50 mg/L) showed statistically significant association with blindness. The longer the infection remains undetected, the greater the devastation ROCM can impose, of which blindness is an important hazard.

Is low dose of liposomal amphotericin B effective in management of acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis? Our conclusions from Al-Mowassat University Hospital, Syria: a prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (AIFRS) is a fatal infection associated with high morbidity and mortality. Although it is a rare disease, upsurge of AIFRS was noticed during the second wave of COVID-19 disease. Early diagnosis and management is the cornerstone for good outcomes. However, management of AIFRS is challengeable especially in developing countries due to limited resources and high prices of antifungal agents. No previous studies have been conducted to evaluate the outcomes of management of AIFRS in Syria. The purpose of this study is to report the results of management of AIFRS with low doses of liposomal amphotericin B in our tertiary hospital in Syria.

METHODS

The outcomes of management of AIFRS cases were followed through a prospective observational study between January 2021 and July 2022. The required medical data were collected for each individual. Three-month mortality rate was studied. SPSS v.26 was used to perform the statistical analysis. Pearson Chi-square test was used to study the associations between different variables and mortality. Survival curves were plotted by the Kaplan-Meier to compare the survival probability. Log Rank (Mantel-Cox) test and Cox regression were conducted to evaluate the factors affecting survival within the follow up period.

RESULTS

Of 70 cases, 36 (51.4%) were males and 34 (48.6%) were females. The mean age of patients was 52.5 years old. The most common underlying risk factor was diabetes mellitus (84.3%). The used dose of liposomal amphotericin B ranged between 2-3 mg/kg per day. The overall 3-month mortality rate was 35.7%. Significant association was found between survival and the following variables: Age, orbital involvement, stage, and comorbidity.

CONCLUSION

The overall mortality rate was close to other studies. However, survival rate was worse than comparable studies in selected cases of AIFRS (older ages, involved orbits, advanced stages, and chronic immunodeficiency). Therefore, low doses of liposomal amphotericin B could be less effective in such cases and high doses are recommended.

Rhino-Orbital Cerebral Mucormycosis in a Diabetic Patient: An Emergency Medicine Case Report

BACKGROUND

Rhino-orbital cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) is a rare infection caused by an invasive fungus and found predominantly in immunocompromised patients. The presentation of ROCM ranges from a mild headache, fever, and sinusitis to vision loss, altered mental status, and facial disfigurement secondary to local tissue invasion. ROCM can cause significant morbidity and mortality and requires prompt diagnosis with timely evaluation by surgical and infectious disease specialists. Cases of ROCM have been reported extensively in internal medicine, infectious disease, and otolaryngology literature. However, there are very few reports in emergency medicine literature in the United States.

CASE REPORT

A 72-year-old woman presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with altered mental status, 4 days of left-sided facial numbness and weakness, and sudden facial pain, swelling, and erythema. Laboratory analysis was consistent with diabetic ketoacidosis. Noncontrast computed tomography of the head and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain demonstrated findings indicative of invasive fungal infection of the left sinus and orbit with extension to the cavernous sinus and surrounding cranial nerves. She was initiated on broad-spectrum antifungals, but based on the extent of the infection, was not a surgical candidate. She subsequently transitioned to a comfort-based plan of care and died 6 days after initial ED presentation. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Early recognition and initiation of treatment can potentially mitigate the devastating outcomes of ROCM, therefore it is critical to be aware of this condition and have a high level of suspicion in susceptible patients.

Management of Invasive Infections in Diabetes Mellitus: A Comprehensive Review

Patients with diabetes often have more invasive infections, which may lead to an increase in morbidity. The hyperglycaemic environment promotes immune dysfunction (such as the deterioration of neutrophil activity, antioxidant system suppression, and compromised innate immunity), micro- and microangiopathies, and neuropathy. A greater number of medical interventions leads to a higher frequency of infections in diabetic patients. Diabetic individuals are susceptible to certain conditions, such as rhino-cerebral mucormycosis or aspergillosis infection. Infections may either be the primary symptom of diabetes mellitus or act as triggers in the intrinsic effects of the disease, such as diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycaemia, in addition to increasing morbidity. A thorough diagnosis of the severity and origin of the infection is necessary for effective treatment, which often entails surgery and extensive antibiotic use. Examining the significant issue of infection in individuals with diabetes is crucial. Comprehensive research should examine why infections are more common amongst diabetics and what the preventive treatment strategies could be.

Rhizopus homothallicus rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis: Six cases from a tertiary care Centre, North India

OBJECTIVE

To report six cases of Rhizopus homothallicus rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis in North India between April 2021 and July 2021.

CASE DETAILS

All six patients had diabetes, concomitant SARS-CoV-2 infection, a history of oxygen requirement and steroid intake. Among these six cases 4 were female. All patients presented with sinus pain and peri-orbital swelling. COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) was diagnosed based on microbiological examination of the biopsied tissue, and its staging was determined radiologically by CT and MRI. Three patients were in stage III-C, the others were in stage II-C, II-D and IV-A. A multidisciplinary team treated the patients with extensive surgical debridement of the affected tissue, correction of predisposing comorbidities and administration of an antifungal agents. Patients were followed up for 6 months with routine direct nasal endoscopy to check the sinonasal cavity for any recurrence. All the six patients survived at 6 months of follow-up.

CONCLUSION

A timely initiated multidisciplinary team-based approach can reduce the mortality in rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis cases caused by R. homothallicus.

Evaluation of Clinical Manifestations, Pattern of Involvement, and Surgical Outcomes in Patients with Post Covid-19 Head and Neck Mucormycosis Infection among Patients Admitted To Namazi Hospital, Shiraz, Iran (2021-2022)

Background

COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is a global pandemic that particularly affects immunocompromised individuals, leading to secondary bacterial and fungal infections. Mucormycosis, caused by Mucorales fungi, is a severe infection primarily affecting immunocompromised individuals. The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a surge in mucormycosis cases worldwide, with India experiencing a significant increase. Various factors, including diabetes mellitus, contribute to the risk of mucormycosis. This study investigated head and neck mucormycosis in patients with prior COVID-19 infection.

Methods

Data from 45 patients were analyzed, with diabetes being the most common risk factor. Visual symptoms, ethmoid bone involvement, and orbital bone involvement were also identified as significant factors.

Results

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in mucormycosis cases, particularly in the head and neck region, with high mortality. Successful management involves addressing underlying factors, surgical debridement, and antifungal therapy.

Conclusion

Timely debridement reduces morbidity and mortality.

Focusing COVID-19-associated mucormycosis: a major threat to immunocompromised COVID-19

COVID-19 disease has been identified to cause remarkable increase of mucormycosis infection cases in India, with the majority of cases being observed in individuals recovering from COVID-19. Mucormycosis has emanated as an outcome of the recent COVID-19 pandemic outbreak as rapidly developing fatal illness which was acquired by Mucorales fungus which is a subcategory of molds known as mucormycetes. Mucormycosis is one of the serious, sporadic mycotic illnesses which is a great threat to immunocompromised COVID-19 patients and affects people of all ages, including children with COVID-19 infections. This is associated with tissue damaging property and, therefore, causes serious clinical complications and elevated death rate. The COVID-19-associated mucormycosis or "black fungus" are the terms used interchangeably. The rapid growth of tissue necrosis presenting as "rhino-orbital-cerebral, pulmonary, cutaneous, gastrointestinal, and disseminated disease" are various clinical forms of mucormycosis. The patient's prognosis and survival can be improved with proper surgeries using an endoscopic approach for local tissue protection in conjunction with course of appropriate conventional antifungal drug like Amphotericin-B and novel drugs like Rezafungin, encochleated Amphotericin B, Orolofim, and SCY-078 which have been explored in last few years. This review provides an overview of mucormycosis including its epidemiology, pathophysiology, risk factors, its clinical forms, and therapeutic approaches for disease management like antifungal therapy, surgical debridement, and iron chelators. The published patents and ongoing clinical trials related to mucormycosis have also been mentioned in this review.

Diagnostic and therapeutic strategies of acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis

Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (AIFR) is a rare disease, but the prognosis is by no means ideal. Pathologically, fungal infection is not only located in the sinus cavity, but also invades the sinus mucosa and bone wall, the surrounding structures and tissues such as the orbit and anterior skull base are often compromised and are accompanied with intracranial and extracranial complications. Despite decades of efforts, acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis remains a devastating disease, the mortality of the disease continues to hover around 50%. The main impediments to improving the prognosis of acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis are the difficulties of early diagnosis and the rapid reversal of immune insufficiency. Moreover, aggressive surgery combined with systemic antifungal therapy are significant positive prognostic factors as well. Progress and standardization of AIFR treatment protocols have been limited by the scarcity of the disease and the absence of published randomized studies. Therewith, how to improve the therapeutic outcome and reduce the mortality rate has always been a challenging clinical discussion. We have summarized the relevant case series and literature from the recent years, management with optimal diagnostic and curative strategies are reviewed.

A Practical Workflow for the Identification of Aspergillus, Fusarium, Mucorales by MALDI-TOF MS: Database, Medium, and Incubation Optimization

There is an increasing body of literature on the utility of MALDI-TOF MS in the identification of filamentous fungi. However, the process still lacks standardization. In this study, we attempted to establish a practical workflow for the identification of three clinically important molds: Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Mucorales using MALDI-TOF MS. We evaluated the performance of Bruker Filamentous Fungi database v3.0 for the identification of these fungi, highlighting when there would be a benefit of using an additional database, the MSI-2 for further identification. We also examined two other variables, namely, medium effect and incubation time on the accuracy of fungal identification. The Bruker database achieved correct species level identification in 85.7% of Aspergillus and 90% of Mucorales, and correct species-complex level in 94.4% of Fusarium. Analysis of spectra using the MSI-2 database would also offer additional value for species identification of Aspergillus species, especially when suspecting species with known identification limits within the Bruker database. This issue would only be of importance in selected cases where species-level identification would impact therapeutic options. Id-Fungi plates (IDFP) had almost equivalent performance to Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) for species-level identification of isolates and enabled an easier harvest of the isolates with occasional faster identification. Our study showed accurate identification at 24 h for Fusarium and Mucorales species, but not for Aspergillus species, which generally required 48 h.

Covid-19-associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (CAROM) in Delhi: Demographics and risk factors in a single-centre consecutive cohort of 200 inpatients

Background

There was a dramatic rise in the incidence of rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis associated with the 2021 Covid-19 wave in India. We aim to document the demographic characteristics and risk factors of a consecutive cohort of inpatients with Covid-19-associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (CAROM) during the surge of April–June 2021.

Methods

We included all patients of CAROM treated at our tertiary referral facility from 1 April to 14 June 2021. We prospectively gathered details with regard to Covid-19 illness and treatment, CAROM presentation, comorbid conditions and risk factors.

Results

Our prospective cohort consisted of 200 consecutive patients, of which 146 (73%) patients tested positive on the Covid-19 RT-PCR test at presentation. CAROM occurred concurrent with the Covid-19 infection in 86%, and delayed CAROM after seeming recovery from Covid-19 was seen in 14%. Covid-19 was classified as mild, moderate and severe in 54%, 33% and 13%. The surge of CAROM followed the population peak of Covid-19 infections by about 3 weeks. Advanced disease at presentation was frequent with ocular involvement in 56.6% (111/196) and central nervous system involvement in 20% (40/199). One or more comorbid conditions were identified in 191/200 (95.5%) patients. The dominant associations were with diabetes (189/200; 94.5%) and uncontrolled hyper-glycaemia (122/133; 91.7%), recent steroid use (114/ 200; 57%), which was often considered as inappropriate in dosage or duration, lymphopenia (142/176; 80.7%), and increased ferritin levels (140/160; 87.5%). No evidence supported the role of previous oxygen therapy or previous nasal swab testing as risk factors for CAROM.

Conclusion

The inpatient volumes of CAROM were noted to parallel the Covid-19 incidence curve by about 3 weeks. Covid-19 infection may directly predispose to CAROM by way of lymphopenia and increased ferritin levels. Uncontrolled hyperglycaemia is identified as a near-invariable association. Recent steroid use is noted as very frequent and was often received in excess of treatment advisories.

Rhino-Orbito-Cerebral Mucormycosis: An Audit

This study aims at identifying the predisposing factors, clinical and radiological features that dictated the treatment outcome of Rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM). This is a retrospective observational study. Medical records of 39 patients with ROCM proven by fungal smear or histopathology (HPE), admitted in Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research from Jan 2015 to Dec 2019 were reviewed and audited. The mean age of the patients was 52.6 years and they were predominantly men (76.9%). There is a statistically significant association between uncontrolled diabetes and increasing severity of the disease in this study and an important cause of mortality. Fungal smear and HPE plays a crucial role in diagnosis. Radiological evaluation helps in identifying the extent of spread and in this study 31% of patients had intraorbital and 20% had intracranial extension. In-hospital mortality was 13%. Our results showed better outcome when combined medical and surgical intervention was undertaken. Rhino-orbito-cerebral Mucormycosis is a rapidly spreading invasive fungal infection with significant mortality and morbidity. Early diagnosis and proactive surgical and medical intervention is crucial for better outcome. Hence the clinician should be highly alert to certain subtle clinical signs and radiological features in a diabetic patients for improving the treatment outcomes and avoiding potentially fatal complications.

Diabetes mellitus and other underlying conditions in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compute the pooled prevalence of diabetes mellitus and other underlying conditions in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis.

METHOD

A systematic literature review was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase and Google Scholar. The cross-sectional studies that reported the frequency of diabetes mellitus in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis were included.

RESULTS

Eighteen eligible studies with a total number of 3718 patients were included in the current study. The pooled prevalence of diabetes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis was 89 per cent and with new-onset diabetes was 32 per cent. The pooled prevalence of steroid use was high (79 per cent) too. The all-cause mortality rate was 24 per cent.

CONCLUSION

Diabetes mellitus was the most frequent underlying condition in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis. The second most frequent underlying condition was steroid use during coronavirus disease 2019 infection. The appropriate control of hyperglycaemia and rational prescription of steroids during the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis is recommended.

Retrobulbar Injection of Amphotericin B in Patients With COVID-19 Associated Orbital Mucormycosis: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

Following COVID-19 infection a rising count of rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis is observed, requiring orbital exenteration, a disabling lifetime affecting surgery. One of the potential interventions for globe salvage in these patients is retrobulbar injections of amphotericin B. This study was conducted to review protocols, outcomes, and side effects of retrobulbar injection of amphotericin B in patients with COVID-19 associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (CAM).

METHODS

The PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase databases were searched using a comprehensive string of relevant keywords. All English studies with the confirmed diagnosis of CAM infection were included. We excluded all studies in which retrobulbar injection of amphotericin B was not implemented in any of the patients or there was a lack of clarified and detailed data about this procedure among participants.

RESULTS

A total of 647 cases had a history of retrobulbar injection(s) of amphotericin B in 13 reviewed studies with 3,132 subjects of CAM. The most common protocol was the retrobulbar injection of 1 ml of 3.5 mg/ml liposomal amphotericin B for 3 doses daily or on alternate days. We discerned that the globe salvage rate was 95.0% in eyes with a history of retrobulbar injection(s). The total rate of orbital exenteration was 14.9%, regardless of the history of retrobulbar injection of the drug. Other outcomes of this intervention were vision salvage and reduced major ophthalmic complaints, including pain, swelling, chemosis, ptosis, and ophthalmoplegia. The side effects of this intervention were not serious, and most of them were transient. They included swelling at the injection site, restriction of ocular motilities, exacerbation of orbital inflammation, and even intensification of visual impairment in a few cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Retrobulbar injection of amphotericin B should be considered a nearly safe and protective intervention against orbital exenteration in patients with CAM. It may also be effective in saving vision. Since the effectiveness of orbital exenteration in the survival of patients is not ascertained, retrobulbar injections can be considered an alternative intervention.

Survival in rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis: An international, multicenter ID-IRI study

BACKGROUND

Mucormycosis is an emerging aggressive mold infection. This study aimed to assess the outcome of hospitalized adults with rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM). The secondary objective was to identify prognostic factors in this setting.

METHODS

This study was an international, retrospective, multicenter study. Patients' data were collected from 29 referral centers in 6 countries. All qualified as "proven cases" according to the EORTC/MSGERC criteria.

RESULTS

We included 74 consecutive adult patients hospitalized with ROCM. Rhino-orbito-cerebral type infection was the most common presentation (n = 43; 58.1%) followed by rhino-orbital type (n = 31; 41.9%). Twenty (27%) had acquired nosocomial bacterial infections. A total of 59 (79.7%) patients (16 in combination) received appropriate antifungal treatment with high-doses of liposomal amphotericin B. Fifty-six patients (75.7%) underwent curative surgery. Thirty-five (47.3%) required intensive care unit admission (27; 36.5% under mechanical ventilation). Hospital survival was 56.8%, being reduced to 7.4% in patients with invasive mechanical ventilation. A multivariate binary backward logistic regression model identified confusion at admission (OR 11.48), overlapping hospital-acquired infection (OR 10.27), use of antifungal treatment before diagnosis (OR 10.20), no surgical debridement (OR 5.92), and the absence of prior sinusitis (OR 6.32) were independently associated with increased risk for death.

CONCLUSION

Today, ROCM still has high mortality rate. Improving source control, rational therpy, and preventing nosocomial infections may improve survival in this severe infection.

Post COVID-19 Head and Neck Mucormycosis: MR Imaging Spectrum and Staging

Objective

To develop a systematic approach for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis, imaging spectrum, and classification system for the staging of post-COVID-19 head and neck mucormycosis.

Method

The study included 63 post-COVID-19 patients with pathologically proven mucormycosis who underwent head and neck MR imaging. Three independent radiologists assessed the imaging spectrum of mucormycosis, MRI characteristics of sino-nasal mucormycosis, and extra-sinus extension, and submitted a final staging using a systematic approach and a proposed categorization system. A consensus reading was considered the reference imaging standard. The kappa statistics were used to assess the categorization system's diagnostic reliability.

Results

The overall interreader agreement of the MR staging system was very good (k-score = 0.817). MR imaging spectrum involved localized sino-nasal mucormycosis (n = 7 patients, 11.1%), sino-nasal mucormycosis with maxillo-facial soft tissue extension (n = 28 patients, 44.5 %), sino-nasal mucormycosis with maxillo-facial bony extension (n = 7 patients, 11.1%), sino-naso-orbital mucormycosis (n = 13 patients, 20.6%), and sino-nasal mucormycosis with cranium or intracranial extension (n = 8 patients, 12.7%). Extra-sinus extension to the orbit and brain did not have significant association with involvement of the posterior ethmoid/sphenoid sinuses and maxillo-facial regions (p > 0.05). MRI-based staging involved four stages: stage 1 (n = 7, 11.1%); stage 2 (n = 35, 55.6%), and stage 3 (n = 13, 20.6%), and stage 4 (n = 8, 12.7%). Involvement of the bone and MR-based staging were significant predictors of patients’ mortality p = 0.012 and 0.033, respectively.

Conclusion

This study used a diagnostic-reliable staging method to define the imaging spectrum of post-COVID-19 head and neck mucormycosis and identify risk variables for extra-sinus extension.

Clinical Features and Mortality of COVID-19-Associated Mucormycosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The recent increase of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) has been commanding global attention. However, basic epidemiologic characteristics have not firmly been established. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we sought to determine the clinical manifestations, potential risk factors, and outcomes of CAM. Observational studies reporting CAM were searched with PubMed and EMBASE databases in January 2022. We collected data on comorbidities and treatment for COVID-19, and performed a one-group meta-analysis on the frequency of orbital exenteration procedure and mortality of CAM using a random-effect model. Fifty-one observational studies, including a total of 2,312 patients with proven CAM, were identified. Among the 51 studies, 37 were conducted in India, 8 in Egypt, and 6 in other countries. The most common comorbidity was diabetes mellitus (82%). While 57% required oxygenation, 77% received systemic corticosteroids. Among CAM, 97% were rhino-orbital-cerebral (ROCM), and 2.7% were pulmonary mucormycosis. Usual presentations were headache (54%), periorbital swelling/pain (53%), facial swelling/pain (43%), ophthalmoplegia (42%), proptosis (41%), and nasal discharge/congestion (36%). Regarding the outcomes, orbital exenteration was performed in 17% (95% CI: 12–21%, I² = 83%) of the COVID-19-associated ROCM patients. The mortality of CAM was 29% (95% CI; 22–36%, I² = 92%). In conclusion, this systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that the most prevalent type of CAM was ROCM, and most CAM patients had diabetes mellitus and received systemic glucocorticoids. Clinicians in the endemic areas should have a high index of suspicion for this invasive fungal complication of COVID-19 when a diabetic patient who received high-dose systemic glucocorticoids developed rhino-orbital symptoms.

Utility of itraconazole and terbinafine in mucormycosis: a proof-of-concept analysis

An epidemic of mucormycosis followed the second wave of COVID 19 in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India in May 2021. This epidemic, however, had additional challenges to offer in the form of acute shortage of all forms of amphotericin B, posaconazole and isavuconazole. It was, therefore, planned to assess the trends in minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of antifungal agents, viz itraconazole and terbinafine, and provide a template for personalized therapy to see whether the results could be translated clinically. This is an observational, single-center study. Samples comprising nasal swab, nasal and paranasal sinus tissue, brain tissue, brain abscess and orbital content, derived from 322 patients from northern India with mucormycosis, of whom 215 were male and 107 were female, were used for analysis. Cultures were identified both by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and conventional methods of identification. Antifungal susceptibility was done for amphotericin B, posaconazole, isavuconazole, itraconazole and terbinafine as per Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute M38-A2. The outcome was identification of the species of mucormycosis and susceptibility to itraconazole and terbinafine besides other primary antifungal agents. Patients or the public were not involved in the design, or conduct, or reporting or in the dissemination plans of our research. Of 322 patients, 203 were culture-positive, of whom 173 were positive by both MALDI-TOF and conventional methods of identification. Final antifungal susceptibility testing was available for 150 patients. The most common Mucorales found to cause this epidemic was Rhizopus oryzae, followed by R. microsporus Amphotericin B, posaconazole and isavuconazole had low MIC values in 98.8% of all Mucorales identified. The MIC of itraconazole was species-dependent. 97.7% of R oryzae had MIC ≤2 µg/mL. However, only 36.5% of R microsporus had MIC ≤2 µg/mL. For terbinafine, 85.2% of R. microsporus had MIC ≤2 µg/mL. We conclude that identification at the species level is required as antifungal susceptibilities seem to be species-dependent. Assessment of the efficacy of itraconazole and terbinafine warrants further studies with clinical assessment and therapeutic drug monitoring as they seem to be potential candidates especially when the primary agents are not available.

Covid-19-Related Acute Invasive Fungal Sinusitis: Clinical Features and Outcomes

Introduction There is a noticeable increase in the incidence of acute invasive fungal sinusitis which coincides with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. It is a potentially-lethal fungal infection, with the most common form being the rhino-orbito-cerebral presentation.

Objectives The aim of the present study is to discuss the different epidemiological factors, risk factors, clinical presentations and outcomes of acute invasive fungal sinusitis which is noticeably related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Methods The present cross-sectional cohort study included 22 adult patients who presented with Covid-19-related acute invasive fungal sinusitis. The diagnosis of acute invasive fungal sinusitis was confirmed by histopathological biopsy. All data, including demographics, risk factors, clinical findings, different lines of treatment and their outcomes, were recorded and analyzed.

Results All patients had diabetes mellitus (100%), and 17 (77.3%) had been submitted to systemic steroids. All patients (100%) had unilateral sinonasal disease. Proptosis was found in 15 patients (68.2%), ophthalmoplegia was observed in 12 patients (54.5%), and intracranial affection occurred in 10 patients (45.5%). A total of 20 patients (90.9%) received liposomal amphotericin B. Surgical debridement was performed in 18 patients (45.5%). Non-septated mycelia was present in 19 biopsies (86.4%), while 3 (13.6%)showed septated mycelia. Total improvement was achieved in 10 patients (45.5%), while the mortality rate was of 27.3% (6 out of 22 participants).

Conclusion Diabetes mellitus is the most common preexisting medical condition associated with Covid-19-related acute invasive fungal sinusitis. Systemic corticosteroid therapy is considered a predisposing factor. It is necessary to raise the level of awareness to diagnose this condition, especially in patients with Covid-19 infection or those who have recently recovered from it.

Mucormycosis Amid COVID-19 Crisis: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Novel Treatment Strategies to Combat the Spread

The havoc unleashed by COVID-19 pandemic has paved way for secondary ominous fungal infections like Mucormycosis. It is caused by a class of opportunistic pathogens from the order Mucorales. Fatality rates due to this contagious infection are extremely high. Numerous clinical manifestations result in damage to multiple organs subject to the patient's underlying condition. Lack of a proper detection method and reliable treatment has made the management of this infection troublesome. Several reports studying the behavior pattern of Mucorales inside the host by modulation of its defense mechanisms have helped in understanding the pathogenesis of this angio-invasive infection. Many recent advances in diagnosis and treatment of this fungal infection have not been much beneficial. Therefore, there is a need to foster more viable strategies. This article summarizes current and imminent approaches that could aid effective management of these secondary infections in these times of global pandemic. It is foreseen that the development of newer antifungal drugs, antimicrobial peptides, and nanotechnology-based approaches for drug delivery would help combat this infection and curb its spread.