Secondary infection with rhino-orbital cerebral mucormycosis associated with COVID-19

ABSTRACT

We report two fatal cases of rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis associated with COVID-19 infection. Both patients had pre-existing diabetes mellitus type 2, were treated with corticosteroids, and developed ketoacidosis. Both patients rapidly declined owing to rapid extension of the infection into the intracranial cavity. We postulate that additional risk factors for opportunistic fungal infection exist in COVID-19 patients including mechanical ventilation and Sars-CoV-2 induced immunosuppression. The ophthalmologist’s role is particularly important in the early diagnosis of mucormycosis associated with COVID-19.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• invasive fungal sinusitis
• mucormycosis
• Sars-CoV-2

Disclosure statement

No conflicts of interest in regard to this report. Bobby S. Korn and Don O. Kikkawa are consultants with Horizon Therapeutics and receive royalties from Elsevier, Ltd.

Additional information

Funding

This report was supported by an unrestricted grant from the Research to Prevent Blindness (New York, NY).