Hidden Germ of the Immunocompromised: A Case of Fungal Orbital Cellulitis
Fungal Orbital Cellulitis
Abstract
Orbital cellulitis is an infection of the orbital soft tissue that could possibly lead to serious complications if treatment is delayed. It is important to differentiate this condition from a less life-threatening condition like preseptal cellulitis as orbital cellulitis would require a more aggressive treatment than the former condition. The present case discusses about a patient who was diagnosed with orbital cellulitis and developed complications from the disease. The delayed administration of the appropriate antibiotic subsequently led to the patient’s death. The delay was because of the reason that the patient belonged to the immunocompromised group who harbour different causative organism than the normal population.
Keywords :
cellulitis,
immunocompromise,
orbital,
Abstrak
Selulitis orbital merupakan jangkitan di tisu orbit yang kemungkinan menyebabkan kecederaan yang serius jika tidak dirawat segera. Penyakit ini memerlukan rawatan yang lebih agresif dan itulah sebabnya adalah penting untuk membezakan penyakit ini daripada penyakit yang tidak begitu membahayakan nyawa seperti selulitis praseptal. Kes ini membincangkan mengenai seorang pesakit selulitis orbital dan mempunyai komplikasi daripada penyakit tersebut. Kelewatan memberi antibiotik yang sesuai akhirnya menyebabkan pesakit ini meninggal dunia. Kelewatan ini adalah disebabkan pesakit ini adalah pesakit terimunokompromi dan mempunyai organisma lain daripada populasi normal.
Kata Kunci :
immunokompromi,
orbital,
sellulitis,
Correspondance Address
Er Lay Ze. Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: +6012-9242041 Email: elise.er@yahoo.com
