Rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis in Basrah-Iraq

Abstract EN

This study was designed to through some light on mucormycosis infection, its stages, risk factors, presenting clinical features and to suggest early diagnostic techniques.

A prospective explanatory study was carried out in the period between March 2011 to March 2016 for patients proved to be affected by this disease in Basrah General Hospital and different departments from all teaching hospitals in Basrah.

The total studied patients were 32 with male to females ratio 2.2:1.

The mostly affected age group was those between 51-60 years (16 patients, 50 %).

Seventeen patients (53.1%) belonged to stage I, nine (28.1 %) to stage II, the remaining 6 patients(18.7 %) to stage III.

Majority of affected patients were immuno-compromised 27(84.3 %).

Diabetes mellitus was the main single risk factor (12 patients, 44.4 %).

The commonest recorded symptom was facial pain and numbness in 27 patients (84.3 %), and the most common sign was nasal crustations and eschar in 28 patients (87.5) .

This study concluded that surgeons should have an index of suspicion to be aware about this condition among the community, this can help in taking early preventive measures.