Isolated splenic mucormycosis secondary to diabetic ketoacidosis: a case report

Mucormycosis is a rare but serious opportunistic fungal infection that occurs in immunocompromised individuals, especially those with diabetic ketoacidosis. Presently, early diagnosis of the disease remains a challenge for clinicians.

The patient, a 68-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes mellitus, was admitted with paroxic sharp pain in the left upper abdomen. CT imaging revealed a patchy hypodense shadow of the spleen with wedge-shaped changes. The patient was not considered early for fungal infection. The diagnosis of spleen mucormycosis was not confirmed until pathological biopsy after splenectomy. After surgery, blood glucose level was controlled, acidosis was corrected, and antifungal therapy was effective.

We report here, for the first time ever, a case of isolated splenic mucormycosis secondary to diabetic ketoacidosis that was diagnosed and treated with antifungal drugs and splenectomy. Following splenectomy, the presence of splenic mucormycosis was confirmed when characteristic mycelia were observed in a tissue biopsy. As the location of any fungal infection is extremely relevant for treatment options and prognoses, early diagnosis and clinical intervention can greatly affect outcomes and prognoses for patients.