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Deadly black fungus in covid 19 patients, Mucormycosis?

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Deadly black fungus in covid 19 patients Mucormycosis ?This alarming affliction ,although rare, is a dangerous fungal infection, which can affect the nose, lungs, eyes and sometimes the brain.Known as mucormycosis and also called “black fungus” has been observed in a number of COVID 19 patients recently.

What is the disease?

This Fungal infection is caused by a group of mould known as mucormycetes present naturally in the environment.

  • The infection usually starts from the nose and spreads to eyes.
  • As the infection spreads it paralyzes muscles around the pupils of the eyes, leading to blindness.
  • If the fungal infection spreads to the brain, the patient can get meningitis

Mucormycosis, the black fungus maiming COVID patients.

The COVID survivors are facing another major concern: mucormycosis/black fungus.Raise in the case of black fungus among COVID19 survivors.Covid patients with weak immunity, diabetic patients and prolonged ICU treatment are more prone to this deadly infection.Infection is worse this time around.These infections prove to be fatal if they are left untreated.

How is it linked to COVID19 and is it contagious?

The reason behind the rise of the infection among COVID 19 patients is may be being triggered by the use of steroids life saving drug for severe and critically ill COVID19 patients(steroid is life saving drug but they reduce immunity and push up sugar level in both diabetic and non diabetic COVID19 patients).

The other thing which can happen is often there is a lot of moisture around the oxygen generating equipment like a mask, that makes a mold grow more.

Black fungus is not contagious.

Representative image of Black Fungus

Symptoms

Patients suffering from mucormycosis/black fungus typically have symptoms of (it depend on where the body fungus is growing) ;

 If fungus grow in sinus and brain:

  • One sided facial swelling
  • Headache
  • Nasal or sinus congestion
  • Black lesion on nasal bridge or inside the mouth.
  • Fever

Pulmonary mucormycosis

  •  Chest pain
  •  Fever
  •  Shortness of breath

Gastrointestinal mucormycotic

  • Abdominal pain
  • Nausea, vomiting
  •  Gastrointestinal bleeding

Eye mucormycosis

  •  Swelling of pain in the eye
  •  Drooping of eyelids
  •  Blurred and finally loss of vision

Warn against taking the black fungus lightly as it can lead to extensive surgeries

  • Removing of lung lobe or whole lungs
  • There should be surgically removing the eye to stop the infection from reaching the brain.
  • Sometimes the jawbone should be removed .(patient suffering from mucormycotic among them 40% have lost their sight)

How is it prevented and treated

We need to take a very simple measure like :

Clean the mouth,throat,nose and ensure that we can control the glucose , sugar very tightly,blood glucose level should be monitored post COVID discharge and also diabetic patients ,maintain hygiene during oxygen therapy and use clean sterile water in humidifiers during oxygen therapy and antibiotics and antifungal medicines should be used correctly as prescribed.

About Author of The Powerful Foundation to reduce Non Communicable disease – Food/Dietary habits

  • ✍️ Miss Isha Dhakal
  •  BNS specialized in oncology
  • BPKMCH Nursing College

Recommended Citation :Dhakal, I., 2021. Deadly black fungus in covid 19 patients, Mucormycosis? [online] Nepal Health Magazine. Available at: <https://nepalhealthmag.com/deadly-black-fungus-in-covid-19-patients-mucormycosis/> [Accessed 17 May 2021].

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