Disseminated zygomycosis simulating cerebrovascular disease and pulmonary alveolar haemorrhage in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may be complicated with se rious cerebrovascular accidents and pulmonary alveolar haemorrhage. The aut hors report an autopsy-proven angioinvasive zygomycosis in a patient with S LE. The clinical features of systemic zygomycosis in this patient masquerad ed as SLE-related stroke and pulmonary haemorrhage. The case demonstrates t hat the simultaneous occurrence of complications that clinically suggest pu lmonary haemorrhage and multiple brain infarcts in SLE patients should incl ude the rare disseminated zygomycosis in the differential diagnosis.