Complete knowledge on Mucormycosis | Black Fungus: लक्षण और आसान उपाय

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Mucormycosis (Black Fungus)
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What is Mucormycosis?

• Mucor is a fungus which is naturally present in
  the environment and soil. It causes infection
  only when immunity is very low.
• Mucormycosis is a type of fungal infection. Its
  not a new disease.
• Previously it was called as zygomycosis.
• Mucormycosis can cause loss of vision and maybe
  life threatening.

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Mucormycosis and COVID-19

• Many people recovering from COVID-19 have been
  found getting infected by the black fungus.
• The fungus invades the sinus and makes its way
  into the intraorbital and intracranial regions.
• When Mucor attacks the sinuses, it spreads to the
  lungs, the brain, and the central nervous system.
• If its progression is not checked early, it may
  cause death in 50-80 of the cases.

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Why the sudden rise in Mucormycosis infections?

• Immunosupressive treatments are widely been used
  to treat COVID-19 infection.
• The severity of Mucor infection is largely
  dependant upon the patients immunity and general
  health.
• Co-existence of COVID-19 and high blood sugar
  levels along with use ofimmuno-supressive
  treatments would expectedly increase the
  incidence and severity of Mucormycosis.
• Mucormycosis infection may occur during COVID-19
  infection or after a few weeks of recovering from
  it.

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What causes Mucormycosis?

• Mucormycosis is caused by exposure to mucormyete
  molds. These organisms occur in
• - Leaves - Piles of compost
• - Soil - Rotting wood
• One can get Mucormycosis by breathing in the mold
  spores in the air. This is referred to as a sinus
  (pulmonary) exposure and through this one may
  develop the infection in
• - Central nervous system (rarer) - Eyes
• - Face - Lungs
• - Sinuses

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• The fungus can also infect the skin via a cut or
  burn (cutaneous exposure). In such cases, the
  wound or burn ends up becoming the area of
  infection.
• Although these types of molds can naturally occur
  in the environment, not everyone exposed to it
  will get the fungal infection.

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Warning signs symptoms of Mucormycosis
Mucormycosis can develop within any part of your
body but usually presents as a respiratory or
skin infection

• Signs of a sinus or respiratory related infection
  may include

• Cough
• Fever
• Headache If persistent or severe and not
  responding to pain medicines
• Nasal congestion or blockage
• Sinus pain
• Nasal discharge (blackish/bloody)
• Local pain on the cheek bone
• One sided facial pain
• Numbness or swelling Blackish discoloration
  over bridge of nose/palate Toothache
• Loosening of teeth
• Blurred or double vision with pain
• Worsening of respiratory symptoms

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Signs of a skin infection may include

• Blackened skin tissue/localised facial puffiness
• Blisters
• Fever
• Redness
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Ulcers

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Who gets Mucormycosis

• Anyone with a weakened immune system is at an
  increased risk of contracting this type of
  infection. Conditions that may increase the risk
  includes

• People suffering from COVID-19
• Burns
• Cuts and scrapes
• Cancer
• Recent organ transplant
• HIV or AIDS
• Untreated or irregularly treated Diabetes
• Surgery
• Long-term corticosteroid use (COVID-19 patients
  treated with steroids)
• Too much Iron in the body

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Is it contagious?

• No. Mucormycosis cant spread between people or
  between people and animals.

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Other Health Issues due to Mucormycosis

• Mucormycosis is particularly dangerous because it
  spreads quickly throughout the body.
• If left untreated, the infection can spread to
  the lungs or the brain. This can cause
• A brain infection
• Paralysis
• Pneumonia
• Seizures
• Death

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DOs

• Control hyperglycemia if you are a diabetic
• Monitor blood glucose level post COVID-19
  discharge
• Use steroids with caution correct timing,
  correct dose and duration
• Use clean, sterile water for humidifiers during
  oxygen therapy
• Use antibiotics/antifungals wisely
• Maintain adequate systemic hydration Infuse

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Donts

• Do not miss warning signs and symptoms.
• Do not consider all the cases with blocked nose
  as cases of bacterial sinusitis, particularly in
  the context of immunosuppression and/or COVID-19
  patients on immunomodulators.
• Do not hesitate to seek aggressive
  investigations, as appropriate (KOH staining
  microscopy, culture, MALDITOF) for detecting
  fungal etiology.
• Do not lose crucial time to initiate treatment
  for mucormycosis.

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How to prevent?

• Use masks if you are visiting dusty construction
  sites
• Wear shoes, long trousers, long sleeve shirts and
  gloves while handling soil (gardening), moss or
  manure
• Maintain personal hygiene including thorough
  scrub bath

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REFERENCES

• https//www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/mucormycosis/i
  ndex.html
• https//www.cdc.gov/fungal/pdf/mucormycosis-basics
  .pdf
• https//www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/mucormycosis/t
  reatment.html
• https//covid.aiims.edu/mucormycosis-in-covid-19/
• https//www.icmr.gov.in/pdf/covid/techdoc/Mucormyc
  osis_ADVISORY_FROM_ICMR_In_COVID19_time.pdf

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