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Decreased Natural Killer Cells in Mucormycosis
Alejandra Albarrán-Sánchez1, Maura E Noyola-García1, Luis M Borges-López1
1Medicina Interna, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad Hospital de Especialidades, Dr. Bernardo Sepúlveda, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico.
Archives of Medical Research
|June 4, 2026
Summary
Patients with mucormycosis, a severe fungal infection, exhibit lower natural killer (NK) cell counts, indicating immune system dysregulation. This study highlights a unique immune profile in mucormycosis patients.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Hematology
Background:
- Mucormycosis is an invasive fungal infection with high mortality.
- Previous research suggests functional abnormalities in natural killer (NK) cells in mucormycosis.
- Circulating NK cell counts in patients with mucormycosis have not been well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine baseline NK cell counts in patients with mucormycosis.
- To investigate the clinical associations of NK cell counts in mucormycosis patients.
- To characterize the immunologic phenotype of mucormycosis.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted.
- Peripheral blood immunophenotyping was performed on 34 hospitalized patients with active mucormycosis.
- Sociodemographic, clinical, and biochemical data were collected and analyzed using non-parametric tests.
Main Results:
- The study included 34 patients, with rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis being the most common form.
- Comorbidities included diabetes (85.3%) and hypertension (64.7%).
- Patients exhibited reduced circulating NK cell counts compared to reference ranges (median 0.11 × 10³/µL vs. 0.15-0.43 × 10³/µL).
Conclusions:
- Patients with mucormycosis demonstrate decreased circulating NK cell counts.
- This reduction suggests immune dysregulation and a distinct immunologic phenotype.
- NK cell counts were not found to be associated with mortality or prior COVID-19 infection in this cohort.
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