A new fungal infection that caused four deaths, and three patients to lose their eyesight has been reported by doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi in over 20 patients who recovered from COVID-19, thus adding to the list of post-COVID complications. The black fungal disease believed to be triggered due to COVID-19 is also airborne just like the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital are carrying out specific culture typing to identify the presence of this fungus that enters the body through the nose. BOOM spoke to Dr. Manish Munjal, ENT specialist at the hospital to understand the severity of this disease.
"This fungal infection also called as Mucormycosis is an opportunistic infection which is known. Patients with low immunity are susceptible to this airborne fungus. Earlier, this has been reported in patients suffering from diabetes, who have undergone transplants, and those that have also followed chemotherapy. It has emerged as a new post-COVID complication," Dr. Munjal stated.
In the last 15 days, the Delhi hospital, has witnessed 20 patients in their outpatient department as well as patients that have been referred to the hospital. From the 20, the hospital reported four deaths while three people have lost their eyesight. The remaining 13 have recovered, Dr. Munjal shared.
As COVID-19 patients are still recovering from other fatigue issues, this new complication raises further questions about this novel disease. Even hospitals in Ahmedabad and Bangalore reported fatalities due to the disease.
What Is Black Fungal Infection?
Mucormycosis as this fungal infection is called is a serious but rare fungal infection caused by a group of fungi called mucormycetes. They are present in the air as well as in contaminated surfaces and enter the body through the nasal cavities.
"Once in the body, the fungi moves through the nasal cavity and causes necrosis-instant cell death if not checked. Moves through the nose, to the eyes, and is most fatal if it reaches the brain," Dr. Munjal explained.
People with a lower immunity are at a higher risk of contracting this fungus and being infected. Diabetics are at a higher risk of being infected by the fungus. Mortality rate of this fungus is around 54% as reported by a 2005 study.
According to Dr. Munjal, the use of the essential medicines to treat COVID-19 such as steroids and tocilizumab trigger the low immunity in a subset of people making them susceptible to contracting this airborne infection.
A culture is collected from the people exhibiting symptoms and a potassium hydroxide stain is applied to the culture to test for positivity.
Symptoms
Diagnosed by a numbness in the nose, the other symptoms of this fungal infection are swelling in the eye, one side swelling of the face, nasal or sinus congestion, excretion of black mucus.
Dr. Munjal added that the symptoms manifest faster in people living with diabetes. He emphasised that people must be more vigilant about any symptoms and should visit a physician immediately for tests.
Prevention
Along with following social distancing, wearing masks, and washing hands, Dr. Munjal asks diabetic patients to visit their physicians for following general diabetes management measures.
"I urge people recovering from COVID-19 to start consuming immunity boosting food and live a lifestyle that boosts their immunity. "
Treatment
Antifungal medicine is the best way to treat this infection. Many a times if the tissue is badly affected, doctors also insist on surgery to remove the infected tissue.