Epidemiology of mucormycosis: review of 18 cases in a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Mucormycosis is an angio-invasive mycosis with high morbidity and mortality rates which mainly affects immunocompromised patients. It is no longer an uncommon disease due to the increased incidence of diabetes and use of immunosuppressive agents in the current era. Our objective was to review all cases of proven and probable mucormycosis--according to EORTC criteria--diagnosed from 2000 until 2007 at the University Hospitals Leuven, a 1900-bed tertiary care hospital, to assess the changing epidemiology of the disease. In 45 patients there was microbiological or histopathological evidence for the presence of a member of Mucorales during the hospital stay of which 12 cases fulfilled the criteria for proven mucormycosis and 6 for probable mucormycosis. The overall incidence was 0.042 cases per 10,000 patient days. A slight although not statistically significant increase in incidence was noticeable during the study period. The major site of infection was the lungs (78% of the cases), with haematological malignancy the most common underlying disorder and Rhizopus species the most often suspected etiologic agent. Overall mortality was 55% and co-infections with Aspergillus species, proven or probable, noted in 44% of cases. The highest survival rate was achieved with surgery combined with antifungal therapy.