Development of purpura fulminans by Candida glabrata and Mucormycosis infection post-surgery

Abstract

Purpura fulminans (PF) is a disorder with multifactorial causes that lead to acute localize skin microvasculature thrombosis. PF can be classified as one of the manifestations of disseminated vascular coagulation (DIC). Although, there are three types of PF including hereditary (autosomal dominant) due to mutations in single nucleotide polymorphisms (PROC and PROS1) and serpin family C member 1 (SERPINC1) genes. Idiopathic or acquired type of PF is complex and the pathophysiology is ambiguous, however, low levels of protein C and S were observed. The acute infectious form of PF occurs post-bacterial infection (e.g., Neisseria). The clinical presentation is limited to skin findings or systematic manifestation (shock, disseminated intravascular coagulation, or death). We are presenting two cases of PF sharing similar clinical manifestations developed within 12 h post-operatively with distinct micro-organisms infection. The first patient’s wound culture grew fluffy mold, and the sequencing confirmed a Mucormycosis, Absidia corymbifera species, while the second patient was infected by cutaneous Candida glabrata which led to the development of PF. Our findings suggest that surgery can trigger local immunological responses in susceptible individuals such as concealed protein C and S deficiency or microorganism toxins that initiated the rapidly developing of PF in those patients.

Keywords

• Candida
• Mucormycosis
• Infection
• Purpura fulminans
• Disseminated vascular coagulation