Mucorales Endocarditis: A Case Series and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Mucorales endocarditis is an extremely rare and devastating disease, with few cases reported in the literature. The infection is predominantly found in immunocompromised patients, although a few cases involving immunocompetent individuals have been reported. We reviewed all cases of mucor endocarditis reported to date with a focus on demographics, clinical presentations, and the range of predisposing conditions, including immunosuppressive states, recent surgery, and cardiac device implantation. The management included a combination of radical surgeries, systemic antifungal therapy, and, in some cases, lifelong suppressive oral antifungals. Despite such aggressive forms of treatment, the survival rate remained exceedingly low, reflecting the poor prognosis of this illness. The current review provides an insight into the clinical features, treatment challenges, and outcomes of mucor endocarditis to guide future diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Keywords: Mucorales; endocarditis; ibrutinib; septic pulmonary emboli.