Fatal Mucormycosis and Aspergillosis in an Atypical Host: What Do We Know about Mixed Invasive Mold Infections?

Maria Tsikala-Vafea; Weibiao Cao; Adam J Olszewski; John E Donahue; Dimitrios Farmakiotis

doi:10.1155/2020/8812528

Fatal Mucormycosis and Aspergillosis in an Atypical Host: What Do We Know about Mixed Invasive Mold Infections?

Case Rep Infect Dis. 2020 Aug 25:2020:8812528. doi: 10.1155/2020/8812528. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Maria Tsikala-Vafea¹, Weibiao Cao², Adam J Olszewski³, John E Donahue^{2

4}, Dimitrios Farmakiotis¹

Affiliations

¹ Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
² Department of Pathology, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
³ Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
⁴ Department of Neurology, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA.

Abstract

Mixed invasive mold infections (MIMIs) are considered rare. We present a case of fatal aspergillosis and mucormycosis in an elderly host with history of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and potential mold exposures. Notably, he had no classic risk factors for IMI other than high-dose corticosteroids, which may be an important risk factor for (M)IMI, based on the current and previous reports. There is an urgent need for studies on the "net state of immunosuppression," environmental exposure as risk factors for (M)IMIs, and noninvasive fungal diagnostics.

Publication types

Case Reports