SYSTEMIC MUCORMYCOSIS COMPLICATING ACUTE-RENAL-FAILURE - CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Mucormycoses is a fungus which increasingly has been reported as a cau se of opportunistic infection during the last 40 years. This infection is most commonly associated with underlying predisposing conditions, particularly diabetic ketoacidosis, hematologic and other malignancies , steroid therapy, broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, or various acqui red and hereditary immunodeficient disease states. The present report is that of a previously healthy patient with acute renal failure secon dary to a postviral rhabdomyolysis syndrome, who received corticostero ids and developed unsuspected and undiagnosed systemic mucormycosis, A utopsy revealed that he died as a consequence of a massive pulmonary h emorrhage due to disseminated invasive mucormycosis, involving both th e lungs and kidneys. A review of the literature reporting disseminated mucormycosis in association with renal failure is provided. Mucormyco sis should be considered in immunocompromised patients with renal fail ure and fevers of unknown origin so that early diagnosis and prompt su rgical and medical therapy may be instituted.