Rhinocerebral Mucormycosis in an HIV/AIDS Patient Presenting as Isolated Unilateral Sixth Nerve Palsy: Case Report and Literature Review (.pdf)

"Mucorales causes a rare but serious and potentially life-threatening fungal infection. Mucorales is invasive and angiotrophic. It causes significant vascular changes including thrombus, arteritis and aneurysm. It occurs primarily in immunocompromised individuals with compromised neutrophil function. The occurrence in HIV/AIDS patients is rare since T cell is not the main defensive mechanism and neutrophil function is relatively preserved with those patients. In this report, we have a case of rhinocerebral mucormycosis that presented as isolated sixth nerve palsy without Horner's syndrome due to intracavernous internal carotid artery (ICA) mycotic aneurysm in an HIV/AIDS patient. The case is unique due to the clinical presentation, location of the pathology and the uncommon risk factor."