Case report. Mycotic arteritis due to Aspergillus fumigatus in a diabetic with retrobulbar aspergillosis and mycotic meningitis.

A 74-year-old man with diabetes mellitus type II, retinopathy and polyneuropathy suffered from exophthalmus, ptosis and diplopia. Magnetic resonance imaging and computer tomography showed a space-occupying process in the right orbital apex. An extranasal ethmoidectomy accompanied by an orbitotomia revealed the presence of septated hyphae. Aspergillus fumigatus was grown from the tissue. After surgical removal of the fungal masses, therapy with amphotericin B (1 mg kg(-1) body weight) plus itraconazole (Sempera, 200 mg per day) over 6 weeks was initiated. Five months later the patient's condition deteriorated again, with vomiting, nausea and pain behind the right eye plus increasing exophthalmus. Antifungal therapy was started again with amphotericin B and 5-fluorocytosine. Neutropenia did not occur. The patient became somnolent and deteriorated, a meningitis was suggested. Aspergillus antigen (titre 1:2, Pastorex) was detected in liquor. Anti-Aspergillus antibodies were not detectable. Both the right eye and retrobulbar fungal masses were eradicated by means of an exenteratio bulbi et orbitae. However, renal insufficiency and an apallic syndrome developed and the patient died. At autopsy, a mycotic aneurysm of the arteria carotis interna dextra was detected. The mycotic vasculitis of this aneurysm had caused a rupture of the blood vessel followed by a massive subarachnoidal haemorrhage. In addition, severe mycotic sphenoidal sinusitis and aspergillosis of the right orbit were seen, which had led to a bifrontal meningitis.