Orbital aspergillosis in an immunocompromised man with no history of trauma: a case report

Abstract

Fungal orbital cellulitis is usually seen in immunocompromised individuals, and opportunistic pathogens are the main etiology. We herein report a case of fungal orbital cellulitis due to Aspergillus in a patient with no history of trauma. A 48-year-old man presented to the emergency room of our hospital with a 2-week history of periorbital swelling, conjunctival hyperemia, and chemosis of his right eye. The visual acuity of his right eye was 6/20, and the intraocular pressure was 44 mmHg. The main clinical findings were proptosis of the right ocular globe with conjunctival hyperemia and a palpable infratemporal orbital mass. Laboratory testing failed to detect the presence of a pathogenic infection, and the lesions on computed tomography images resembled those of a malignant tumor of the orbit. The diagnosis was finally confirmed by postoperative pathological examination, and the patient responded favorably to debridement combined with antifungal therapy. Histopathological examination may help to reveal the nature of this disease. Surgical removal of inflammatory lesions can serve as an important diagnostic and treatment method for fungal orbital cellulitis.