A Fatal Case of Rhizopus azygosporus Pneumonia Following COVID-19

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Published on: December 19, 2020

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Anubhav Kanwar1, Alex Jordan2, Scott Olewiler1

  • 1Department of Infectious Diseases and Travel Medicine, Beebe Healthcare, Lewes, DE 19958, USA.

Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 6, 2021
PubMed

Insights

A rare case of Rhizopus azygosporus pneumonia, a type of mucormycosis, occurred in a COVID-19 patient treated with immunosuppressants. This highlights the risk of invasive fungal infections in hospitalized COVID-19 patients receiving immunomodulatory therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pulmonology

Background:

  • COVID-19 is associated with secondary infections, including invasive fungal infections.
  • Pulmonary aspergillosis is a known complication, but mucormycosis is rarely reported.
  • Immunomodulatory treatments like methylprednisolone and tocilizumab are used in severe COVID-19.

Observation:

  • A 56-year-old male patient hospitalized with COVID-19 developed pneumonia.
  • The patient had received methylprednisolone and tocilizumab for COVID-19 treatment.
  • Rhizopus azygosporus, a cause of mucormycosis, was identified as the causative agent of pneumonia.

Findings:

  • This case represents a rare instance of mucormycosis secondary to COVID-19.
  • The use of immunosuppressants likely increased the patient's susceptibility to invasive fungal infection.
  • Rhizopus azygosporus pneumonia can be fatal in immunocompromised individuals.

Implications:

  • Hospitalized COVID-19 patients receiving immunosuppressants may be at risk for mucormycosis.
  • Increased vigilance for invasive fungal infections, including mucormycosis, is warranted in this patient population.
  • Further research is needed to understand the spectrum and risk factors of mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients.
Keywords:
COVID-19Rhizopusmucormycosispneumonia

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