A case report of a mucormycosis caused by Lichtheimia ramosa in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia

Abstract

 

Mucormycosis because of Lichtheimia ramosa is an unusual opportunistic fungal infection that can potentially be fatal in immunocompromised hosts. We present a fatal case of mucormycosis, affecting a 59-year-old woman with diabetes and acute myeloid leukemia. Palatal mucormycosis with sinonasal invasion was confirmed by mycological culture and histopathology. Exact species identification of Lichtheimia ramosa was performed by PCR-sequencing of ITS1-5.8S- ITS2 regions of the ribosomal genes. The patient was managed medically as surgical approach was not possible, and she unfortunately died. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Lichtheimia ramosa infection in Tunisia confirmed molecularly.