title: A rare case of mucormycosis in the scalp.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mucormycosis is a rapidly progressive and frequently lethal form of fungal infection. Primary cutaneous form is rare. We presented a case of cutaneous mucormycosis in the scalp which led to visual loss in a 54-year-old diabetic woman.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 54-year-old woman patient was admitted with the complaining of the wound with purulent discharge in the scalp. An ulcerated discharging lesion with necrotic hemorrhagic crusts in the left parietal region of the scalp and wheals with fluctuating from this lesion to the left periorbital area were observed. Biochemical investigations revealed elevated blood sugar level and urine ketone bodies were present. The patient had vision loss in the left eye. In the smears thick-walled non-septate hyphae were detected. Rhizopus spp. was isolated from culture. Antidiabetic therapy and liposomal amphotericin B was initiated. The scalp lesion improved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early diagnosis is life saving in mucormycosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology. Faculty of Medicine. Dicle University. Diyarbakir. Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harman
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology. Faculty of Medicine. Dicle University. Diyarbakir. Turkey.
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Uçmak
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology. Faculty of Medicine. Dicle University. Diyarbakir. Turkey.
authors.forename: Tuba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dal
mesh_terms: D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009091:Mucormycosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D035583:Rare Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D012536:Scalp Dermatoses / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*