A man from Kentucky suffered severe facial damage from a rare fungal infection with a 50% mortality rate. Mark Tatum, in his early forties, contracted the infection from contact with items like soil or decaying food. According to Dr. Wayne K. Stadelmann, a plastic surgeon at the University of Louisville Medical Center, Tatum’s survival was initially in doubt after the infection developed.
This incident underscores the importance of taking precautions to prevent such uncommon infections. It’s crucial to exercise caution and maintain good hygiene practices, especially in situations involving contact with soil or decomposing organic matter.
The fungus had spread extensively across Tatum’s nose, eyes, cheekbones, upper jaw, and teeth, necessitating urgent medical intervention to prevent a fatal outcome. In order to halt its progression towards his brain, doctors had to surgically excise the infected areas from Tatum’s face. Regrettably, this left him with minimal remaining facial features.
Tatum later disclosed that he credits his survival to the love of his wife and a dream in which his granddaughter sought his assistance while he was near death. Following the removal of the fungus, Tatum underwent multiple reconstructive surgeries on his face. Doctors utilized skin and tissues from his leg to reconstruct the roof of his mouth, enabling him to speak and eat once more.
Doctors later removed a bone from Tatum’s leg and transplanted it into his face to establish a base for titanium bridgework, which enabled the attachment of a new prosthetic face.
Prosthodontist Zafrulla Khan from the University of Louisville undertook the task of crafting the prosthetic, describing it as his most intricate work to date. Reflecting on his experience two years after the onset of his ordeal in 2000, Tatum remarked, “Look at me now. While I may not fit conventional standards of attractiveness, I feel that I am nearly there.”
Tatum passed away in 2005, leaving behind a profound sense of loss. However, Dr. Stadelman praised his resilience in the face of traumatic events, noting that “Tatum’s perseverance was a true testament to the human spirit.” Unfortunately, mucormycosis, commonly known as black fungus infection, can affect anyone regardless of age, and many people may encounter its spores in their daily lives, as per WebMD.
Individuals with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to developing severe illness after exposure to these spores. Symptoms of the infection include chest pain, facial swelling on one side, sinus congestion, and abdominal discomfort. The disease can be fatal, with the CDC indicating that the mortality rate associated with mucormycosis can exceed 50%, depending on the patient and the affected body parts.