An atypical case of fatal zygomycosis: Simultaneous cutaneous and laryngeal infection in a patient with a non-neutropenic solid prostatic tumor

by Kristine E. Johnson, MD, Kevin Leahy, MD, PhD, Christopher Owens, MD, Joel N. Blankson, MD, PhD, William G. Merz, PhD, and Bradley J. Goldstein, MD, PhD | Saturday, March 01, 2008

IntroductionZygomycosis occurs as an opportunistic infection in immunocompromised and diabetic patients with acidosis, hematologic malignancy, or end-stage renal disease and in those who are taking immunosuppressant therapy after undergoing solid-organ transplantation. Such an infection can occur in the sinocerebral structures, respiratory tract, lungs, and gastrointestinal system, and it can occur as a disseminated illness. Invasive rhinocerebral zygomycosis is a well-known entity; hosts with variable immunologic function (i.e., patients with rheumatologic disease who are treated with steroids) may present with primary cutaneous or invasive zygomycosis.We describe an atypical case of devastating head and neck zygomycosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of laryngeal zygomycosis in a patient with a non-neutropenic solid tumor and the first reported case of simultaneous laryngeal and cutaneous zygomycosis.Case reportA 79-year-old man with a history of .../continued/

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