Brain lesion in a recreational drug user: Isolated cerebral mucormycosis
Ngoc-Tram Ha,
Megan Lowery,
Jean Woo,
Yatin Mehta,
Nitin Bhanot
Affiliations
Ngoc-Tram Ha
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, 17882, United States
Megan Lowery
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, 17882, United States
Jean Woo
Division of Infectious Disease, Allegheny General Hospital, Allegheny Health Network, PA 15212, United States
Yatin Mehta
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, 17882, United States
Nitin Bhanot
Division of Infectious Disease, Allegheny General Hospital, Allegheny Health Network, PA 15212, United States; Corresponding author at: Division of Infectious Disease, 420 East North ave, Allegheny General Hospital, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, United States.
Isolated cerebral mucormycosis is a relatively rare and unique variant of mucormycosis which is seen most commonly in patients with intravenous recreational drug use. While this invasive fungal infection in the brain is thought to spread from the sinuses or the lungs in other hosts such as diabetics and those with malignancy, hematogenous spread and seeding has been attributed in the pathogenesis of isolated cerebral mucormycosis. Clinical features and radiological findings may be non-specific and hence, heightened clinical suspicion for a prompt diagnosis and early medical and surgical intervention is paramount for a favorable outcome in such rare, but potentially fatal infections.
