Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The newly established ‘Black Fungus’ infection, has caused some major concern issue among the people. Now many patients who are recovering from COVID-19 have of late been afflicted by black fungus or also known as Mucormycosis disease which invades the sinus and makes its way into the intraorbital and intracranial regions.
But according to the experts, uncontrolled diabetes is emerging as a major factor in acquiring black fungus infection and also is leading to further now complications for the Covid-19 recovering patients.
An online event was hosted by Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences with 52 experts discussing the issue, aimed to prepare the workforce to prevent patients from falling prey to the infection while informing them about the relevant treatment protocols.
Mucormycosis is an uncommon, opportunistic invasive fungal infection that occurs in immune-suppressed patients. Uncontrolled diabetes is the most common risk factor for acquiring this infection. These fungal spores are present in the air, soil and decomposed debris and gain entry into sinuses and lungs by breathing contaminated air. Covid-19 patients with uncontrolled diabetes, undergoing treatment with steroids, are at heightened risk of the infection.
According to the report, SGPGI director Prof. R.K. Dhiman stated that the black fungus infection can be successfully managed and treated with a multi-disciplinary approach and the role of microbiologist, ENT specialist, ophthalmologist and diabetologist is crucial to achieving successful results.
The black fungus affects various parts of the sinus- maxillary, ethmoid, sphenoid, and frontal- lungs, brain and some other organs such as the liver. This is a very dangerous fungus that sits inside the sinuses once a patient inhales them. In a patient with diabetes and immuno-compromising issues, it can grow very rapidly in these areas. And it also eats away the flesh, tissues and bones near the eyes and nose of the patient and it can also cause lung pneumonia.
The report further stated that currently nine more cases of black fungus infection were reported at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) taking the tally to 17 since March. And among those nine cases, three patients have been referred from other hospitals after being diagnosed with the black fungus infection, while five developed the complication at their homes. One patient developed symptoms during treatment at the IDH ward of KGMU.
With these nine new cases, the number of mucormycosis patients undergoing treatment at KGMU has gone up to 13. Of these, seven also have Covid, while others had recovered from the novel coronavirus infection and are admitted in the post-Covid ward, including one in the intensive care unit, for black fungus treatment.
Image Source – Google
