Rhinofacial entomophthoramycosis case series, the unusual cause of facial swelling

Background: Rhinofacial entomophthoramycosis is a specific fungal infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. It is considered as a rare and neglected disease in tropical and subtropical areas. We would like to present our cases to aid other physicians in the improved recognition of typical cases.

Materials and methods: A retrospective review was performed on patients with the diagnosis of Conidiobolomycosis or Entomophthoramycosis in Chiang Mai University Hospital, Thailand, from January 2009 to May 2019. There were seven cases with a definite pathologic report or culture in this review.

Results: All seven patients were men and were referred to the university hospital for diagnosis. The mean age was 53 ± 15.7, ranging from 27 to 71 years. Most of the patients (85.7%) presented first with nasal or rhinofacial swelling and nasal obstruction. The definite diagnosis came from clinical presentation and investigation with a tissue biopsy, culture and communication among physicians. Patients responded well with a combination of medical treatment, including potassium iodide (KI), co-trimoxazole, or itraconazole.

Conclusion: Rhinofacial entomophthoromycosis or Conidiobolomycosis typically can be diagnosed under a suspicious clinical presentation. The obvious clinical response can be seen within several weeks after medication.

Keywords: Conidiobolus; Entomophthora; Zygomycosis.