Chiasmal infarction and sudden blindness caused by mucormycosis in AIDS and diabetes mellitus.
OBJECTIVE
To report rapidly progressive rhino-orbitocerebral mucormycosis in a 47-year-old woman with both diabetes mellitus and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).


METHODS
Case report including postmortem examination of the eyes, orbit, and brain of a patient with rhino-orbitocerebral mucormycosis, diabetes mellitus, and AIDS.


RESULTS
Invasion by hyphae of the Rhizopus species produced an occlusive vasculitis and massive infarction of the optic chiasm. Fungal organisms were discovered in multiple granulomata of the optic nerve.


CONCLUSIONS
Infarction at the optic chiasm probably caused sudden blindness in this patient.
Lee
B L
BL
UCLA Ocular Inflammatory Disease Center, USA.
Holland
G N
GN
Glasgow
B J
BJ
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D015821:Eye Infections, Fungal / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009091:Mucormycosis / Q000150:complications*; D009897:Optic Chiasm / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000382:microbiology; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000382:microbiology; D009916:Orbital Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012233:Rhizopus / Q000302:isolation & purification