As the second wave of coronavirus pandemic is continuing to wreak havoc in India, several Indian states like Delhi, Karnataka, and Kerala have reported a rising incidence of mucormycosis or Black Fungus infection among Covid-19 patients. AIIMS director Dr. Sandeep Guleria recently told that secondary infections, both fungal and bacterial are causing mortality and morbidity among patients.
Mucormycosis could turn deadly
Guleria revealed that mucormycosis, popularly known as black fungal infection could affect the face, nose, eyes, and brain of the patient. He also added that severe infection on the patient's eye could result in vision loss. The medical expert also urged regular monitoring of sugar levels of patients, especially among diabetic patients to avoid black fungus infection.
According to Guleria, black fungus infection was seen mostly in diabetic, cancer, and transplant patients even before the coronavirus outbreak. However, the number of patients who were infected with mucormycosis was rare, but now cases have surged due to Covid treatment.
Causes of black fungus infection
Medical experts believe that mucormycosis is an opportunistic fungal infection, which means the infection will attack patients whenever it gets an opportunity. It should be noted that fungal spores are there everywhere - in soil, construction sites, and even in AC ducts. People who are highly immune are less prone to get the fungal infection, while it could attack people whose immunity might be compromised due to multifarious reasons. Mucormycosis is now widely attacking Covid patients, as their immunity is already compromised.
"In COVID, the immunity does go down, and we know now that steroids are the ones that can help the patients to recover, but if the patient also has diabetes, then this is a trio of coronavirus, with sugar, with steroids. These opportunistic infections sometimes are leading to this infection called Mucormycosis. It is very important that the sugar be maintained correctly," Dr. Samir Bhargava, consultant at Hinduja Healthcare Hospital & Professor in HBT Medical College told Republic TV.
The medical expert also urged people to maintain a good sugar level to stay away from black fungal infection. He also asked people to monitor their blood sugar levels even after discharge from the hospital. Bhargava also added that quick medical care should be given to mucormycosis patients to avoid infection in the eye and brain.
