FL Huang, CF Lin, PY Chen, TK Chang

Abstract

Rhizomycosis is an angiotropic and life-threatening infection in immunocompromised patients. We report an infant with acute myeloid leukaemia who suffered from an intra-abdominal mass with progressive hypertension due to left renal, superior mesenteric and splenic arterial occlusions associated with Rhizopus infection, which was diagnosed by multidetector-row computed tomography and tissue biopsy. She underwent intensive management including surgery and liposomal amphotericin-B administration, but she died of progressive leukaemia. To the best of our knowledge, simultaneous infarction of three obstructed arteries in an infant with Rhizopus spp. infection has not been reported in the literature. We conclude rhizomycosis is a life-threatening infection in a child with leukaemia who has neutropenic status, and Rhizopus spp. infection may be associated with multiple arterial infarctions. Hence, early diagnosis, aggressive surgery, and adequate treatment are suggested.