Also known as black fungus, mucormycosis is a rare and invasive systemic fungal infection that occurs due to exposure to mucor mould that may be present in plants, air, soil, animal dung, mucus and nose of people. The mortality rate of black fungus, now declared as a notifiable disease is 50 per cent and with emerging cases, seven states in the country have already declared it as an epidemic.

What are the types of mucormycosis?

It can be categorized into several types:

• Pulmonary mucormycosis(lungs)
• Rhino cerebral mucormycosis(sinus and brain)
• Cutaneous mucormycosis (skin)
• Gastrointestinal mucormycosis

What are its symptoms?

Typical symptoms may include:

• Stuffy nose
• Drooping of eyelids
• Redness and swelling in the eye
• Blurred or loss of vision
• Bleeding nose
• Blackened skin tissue
• Diabetes

How can the infection be prevented?

The infection isn’t contagious therefore it can be prevented by taking self-care measures. In case of a weakened immune system, it is imperative to take extra precautions while working or going outdoors.

Wearing a mask, not exposing wounds before they heal, keeping safe in an environment where there could be an increased amount of the fungi are some of the ways to prevent the fungal infection.

Maintaining good oral and nasal hygiene and avoiding dusty construction sites.

In covid-19 infected patients, a way to stall this infection is to make sure that during the treatment or even in the recovery period, it is crucial to administer the correct dose of steroids when needed.

What is the link between covid-19 and black fungus?

In case of weak immune system

Mucormycosis primarily happens in people whose immune system is not as strong due to a prior infection. In case of covid-19 affected patients, their immunity has weakened making them vulnerable to these infections.

In case of steroid administration

Steroids are used in case of severe lung infections to reduce inflammation. However these steroids weaken the immunity and push up blood sugar levels in the patients even in the case of non-diabetic ones.

In case of diabetes

It has been observed that a large percentage of people suffering from this fungal infection are found to be diabetic who had recovered from covid-19. Patients should monitor their blood sugar levels regularly and only take medicines that are prescribed by their doctors.

Doctors are surprised by the frequency of this infection during the second wave as compared to the first wave last year. In these times of the ongoing pandemic, it is nothing less than a nightmare.

What do we know about the treatment?

Intravenous (IV) antifungal medications are the only ones found to be effective against this infection. These are:

• Amphotericin B
• Isavuconazole
• Posconazole

One injection costs around 3,500 rupees and it has to be given daily for about 6-8 weeks for complete recovery.

Surgical debridement is another way to stop the infection from spreading. In cases where diagnosis has taken longer, patients have lost vision in both eyes. Even then, the doctors have to remove the eyes in order to stop the spread of the infection. Therefore it is really important to identify the fungal infection in the early stage. The infection generally starts from the nose and then spreads to cheekbones, palate, eyes and can go into the brain.