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A Rare Battle: Multidisciplinary Care for a Child with Rhino-Orbital Cerebral Mucormycosis in Somali Region of Ethiopia

Summary

A 12-year-old girl with poorly controlled diabetes developed a serious fungal infection in her sinuses and eye that spread to her brain. Despite the infection being extremely dangerous, doctors successfully treated her using multiple approaches including antifungal medication, surgery to remove infected tissue, and careful management of her blood sugar. She recovered and went home, though she lost vision in one eye.

Background

Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) is a rare, aggressive fungal infection with high mortality rates exceeding 30% even with treatment. It primarily affects immunocompromised individuals, particularly those with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, though it can occur in immunocompetent hosts. Cerebral involvement carries a near 100% fatality rate if untreated.

Objective

This case report presents a pediatric ROCM case from a resource-limited setting in the Somali region of Ethiopia. The aim is to highlight the diagnostic and management challenges of ROCM in resource-constrained environments and demonstrate the feasibility of successful treatment outcomes.

Results

Despite extensive cerebral involvement including cavernous sinus thrombosis and cerebral abscesses/cerebritis, the patient showed significant improvement with aggressive multimodal therapy. She was discharged in good health with well-controlled blood sugar levels and improved wound healing, though with persistent visual impairment.

Conclusion

Successful ROCM management in a pediatric patient from a resource-limited setting is achievable through early recognition, aggressive multimodal therapy combining medical and surgical interventions, and close multidisciplinary collaboration. This case emphasizes the importance of managing underlying conditions like diabetes to prevent opportunistic infections.
  • Published in:International Medical Case Reports Journal,
  • Study Type:Case Report,
  • Source: PMID: 40585963, DOI: 10.2147/IMCRJ.S524811
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