A CASE OF RHINO-ORBITAL-CEREBRAL MUCORMYC OSIS DUE TO RHIZOPUS-ORYZAEIN A CIRRHOTIC PATIENT

The rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis is an acute rapidly progressive fungal infection. This disease is caused by a zygomycetes fungus, mos t often from the Rhizopus genus. This fungus is saprophitic of the nas al cavity and paranasal sinuses. It becomes pathogenic in some particu lar conditions, specially during diabetes melitus. Histopathological s tudy is the only method allowing the diagnosis, by revealing the tissu e invasion by characteristic hyphae. Mycologic study allows a definiti ve identification of the fungus. The authors report a case of rhino-or bito-cerebral mucormycosis in a 44 year-old woman with cirrhosis. She presented an acute blindness and ophtalmoplegia. Despite of a rapid hi stologic diagnosis from the nasal and ethmoidal biopsies, the patient died 3 days after.