Increased Incidence of Rhino-Orbital-Cerebral Mucormycosis After Colorado Flooding

Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 2017 May/Jun;33(3S Suppl 1):S148-S151. doi: 10.1097/IOP.0000000000000448.

Abstract

In September 2013, central Colorado experienced a record amount of rainfall resulting in widespread flooding. Within 1 month of the flooding, 4 patients presented to the authors' institution with rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis. This represents the largest number of cases ever recorded over a 1-month period. The authors hypothesize that the combination of immunocompromised status and environmental exposure resulted in the increased incidence.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Colorado / epidemiology
  • Disasters*
  • Eye Infections, Fungal / diagnosis
  • Eye Infections, Fungal / epidemiology*
  • Eye Infections, Fungal / microbiology
  • Floods*
  • Humans
  • Immunocompromised Host
  • Incidence
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mucorales / isolation & purification*
  • Mucormycosis / diagnosis
  • Mucormycosis / epidemiology*
  • Nose Diseases / diagnosis
  • Nose Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Nose Diseases / microbiology
  • Orbital Diseases / diagnosis
  • Orbital Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Orbital Diseases / microbiology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed