Mucor thriving on iron in beta thalassemia major: A case of rhino-orbital mucormycosis

Abstract

Mucormycosis is a dreaded condition with high mortality rates noted in immunocompromised hosts. Though iron overload is a known risk factor, children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia have been rarely reported with invasive mucormycosis. We present an 8-year-old girl with transfusion-dependent thalassemia with hypersplenism and iron overload. She had invasive rhino-sino-orbital mucormycosis with a fatal outcome despite aggressive surgical and medical management.

Keywords

• Mucormycosis
• Beta-thalassemia major
• Iron – overload
• Amphotericin
• Rhino-nasal mucormycosis
• Debridement