Chronic pulmonary mucormycosis: An emerging fungal infection in diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Mucormycosis commonly affects immunocompromised individuals with defects in neutrophil function or count. Diabetes mellitus is an important risk factor due to impair innate and acquired immunity for mucormycosis, with rhino-orbital-cerebral involvement as a common presentation. Pulmonary mucormycosis (PM) although a rare presentation in diabetic patients but is associated with high mortality and morbidity. An early diagnosis of PM is difficult, due to rarity of the disease and clinical and radiological features resembling tuberculosis (TB) which is common in Pakistan. Here we present three cases of chronic PM in patients with diabetes and with no other apparent risk factors.