A Patient With Cerebral Zygomycosis Cured With Liposomal Amphotericin B, Caspofungin and Ciprofloxacin Without Intracranial Surgery

Antifungal combinations in Mucorales: A microbiological perspective

Mucormycosis mostly affects immunocompromised patients and is associated with a high morbidity and mortality despite currently available treatments. In that context, combination therapy might be the key to a better outcome for these patients. Purpose of this review is to summarise and to discuss the current combination data obtained in vitro, in vivo in animal models of mucormycosis, and in patients. In vitro combination studies showed that most of the interactions between antifungal drugs were indifferent, even though that some synergistic interactions were achieved for the combination of echinocandins with either azoles or amphotericin B. Importantly, antagonism was never observed. Animal models of mucormycosis focused on infections caused by Rhizopus arrhizus, neglecting most other species responsible for human disease. In these experimental animal models, no strong interactions have been demonstrated, although a certain degree of synergism has been reported in some instances. Combinations of antifungals with non-antifungal drugs have also been largely explored in vitro and in animal models and yielded interesting results. In patients with ketoacidosis and rhino-orbito-cerebral infection, combination of polyene with caspofungin was effective. In contrast, despite promising experimental data, adjunctive therapy with the iron chelator deferasirox was unfavourable and was associated with a higher mortality than monotherapy with liposomal amphotericin B. More combinations have to be tested in vitro and a much larger panel of Mucorales species has to be tested in vivo to give a valuable statement if antifungal combination therapy could be an effective treatment strategy in patients with mucormycosis.

A mucormycosis case treated with a combination of caspofungin and amphotericin B

Mucormycosis is a rare, invasive and fatal disease that occurs mainly in diabetes mellitus patients with uncontrolled blood glucose levels or in immunocompromised patients. The mortality rate of this disease is as high as 25 to 80%, despite aggressive surgical treatment and antifungal therapy. This high mortality requires alternative treatment approaches. The accepted treatment modality of invasive mucormycosis are amphotericin B lipid formulations. Although echinocandins generally show no activity against Mucorales, it was shown that Rhizopus oryzae expressed the target enzyme for echinocandins, 1,3-beta-glucan synthase. Additionally, there are some experimental studies in a diabetic mouse model and case reports regarding the effects of caspofungin. In this report, we present a rhinocerebral mucormycosis case treated with liposomal amphotericin B and caspofungin. There was regression of the patient's clinical and radiological condition with the addition of caspofungin, but she died due to discontinuation of her treatment and reasons other than mucormycosis.

Rhinocerebral mucormycosis complicated by bacterial brain abscess

Mucormycosis is a rare life-threatening fungal infection occurring primarily in patients with diabetics or immunocompromised patients. The authors report a case of mucormycosis in a patient with diabetes complicated by bacterial brain abscess. The bacteria cultured from the abscess were Staphylococcus epidermidis and Enterococcus faecalis. The abscess was surgically drained and treated with antibiotics. A brief review of mucormycosis and brain abscess including treatment is provided in the discussion.