Fulminant Rhizomucor pusillus mucormycosis during anti-leukemic treatment with blinatumomab in a child: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

This is the first published case report of a child with acute lymphatic leukemia developing a fatal mucormycosis during blinatumomab treatment. The patient showed multiple, systemic thromboembolic lesions with ischemia, bleeding and infarction in almost all organs. The child succumbed to increased brain pressure resulting in cerebral herniation. This case particularly illustrates the fulminant progression and huge challenges of diagnosing and treating mucormycosis in children with hemato-oncological diseases during treatment with targeted therapeutic antibodies (blinatumomab).

Keywords

• Mucormycosis
• Pediatric patients
• Rhizomucor pusillus
• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia relapse
• Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation