Fatal peritonitis caused by Rhizopus microsporus.
A 52-year-old woman with a history of Crohn's disease was admitted due to peritonitis which followed an intestinal perforation. After transitory treatment with voriconazole, resolution of the infection was complicated by recurring peritonitis resulting from necrosis and perforation of the left colon which ultimately lead to the death of the patient. Microscopic examination of the peritoneal fluid revealed the presence of broad, irregular hyphae and culture of the fluid yielded Rhizopus microsporus. The identification of the fungus was confirmed by its characteristic microscopic morphology and sequencing of the ITS region of the rDNA. The histopathologic examination of the colon tissue demonstrated the presence of broad, non-septate hyphae and the same fungus was again isolated in culture.
Hyvernat
Hervé
H
Medical Intensive Care Unit, Archet 1 Hospital, Nice, France. hyvernat.h@chu-nice.fr
Dunais
Brigitte
B
Burel-Vandenbos
Fanny
F
Guidicelli
Sarah
S
Bernardin
Gilles
G
Gari-Toussaint
Martine
M
D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009091:Mucormycosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012233:Rhizopus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014230:Triazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D065819:Voriconazole
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D011743:Pyrimidines; D014230:Triazoles; D065819:Voriconazole