# Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis in diabetic ketoacidosis: A classic clinical presentation still unknown in Senegal

## TL;DR

A 27-year-old diabetic woman in Senegal died from a rare fungal infection called ROCM, highlighting the need for rapid diagnosis and treatment.

## Contribution

This case report presents a rare and fatal case of ROCM in a young diabetic patient in Senegal.

## Key findings

- ROCM caused by Rhizopus oryzae was diagnosed too late in a 27-year-old woman with diabetic ketoacidosis.
- The patient's symptoms included an erythematous plaque, exophthalmos, and necrosis in the orbitofrontal region.
- The patient died within 3 days due to delayed diagnosis and management of ROCM.

## Abstract

Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) is an invasive mycosis caused by fungi of the order Mucorales. It mainly affects patients with uncontrolled diabetes. This case report concerns a 27-year-old woman with diabetic ketoacidosis who presented with a large erythematous plaque localised in the right orbitofrontal region with exophthalmos and patches of necrosis that rapidly led to death within 3 days before the diagnosis of ROCM due to Rhizopus oryzae, the causal agent. So, without rapid diagnosis and swift management, ROCM results in a potential fatality.