Jul 22, 2020. That is why most people who contract this viral infection recover soon and slowly get back to their old lifestyle. Even people who did not have symptoms when they were infected can have post-COVID conditions. 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. Mucormycosis, also known as Black Fungus, is a rare fungal infection primarily contracted in the … Those with diabetes have sugar levels several times higher than normal, which severely compromises their immunity. Elevated hepatobiliary enzymes are common in COVID-19 pneumonitis. But COVID has an excellent recovery rate in India right now which is above 90%. The fungus completely destroys these bones, and often jaws and eyes of the patents have to be removed to save them. Causes, symptoms, treatment of COVID-19 triggered rare deadly fungal infection - The common symptoms of the disease include headache, facial pain, nasal congestion, loss of vision or pain in the eyes, swelling in cheeks and eyes. Copyright © 2021 The Indian Express [P] Ltd. All Rights Reserved, Serious fungal infection seen in some Covid patients with co-morbidities: Expert, Eminent ENT surgeon Madan Kapre said that the infection spreads fast and causes fatality in up to 80 per cent of the cases. Initial SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal testing was negative, but in light of high community prevalence, he was diagnosed with COVID-19, treated with supportive care and self-quarantined at home. Photo: Yale Rosen/Flickr CC BY SA 2.0. I have removed the eyes of about 15 patients so far,” he added. I was fortunate: My symptoms, while nasty, were minor compared to others. Normally, we don’t have more than one or two such patients requiring surgeries in a year. 1,3,4,7,8 Awareness of the possibility of fungal co-infection is essential to reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment in order to help prevent severe illness and death … Post-COVID conditions are a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems people can experience more than four weeks after first being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. For aspergillosis, common symptoms include breathlessness, cough, and fatigue. While breathing issues and weakness are some of the common post-coronavirus complications observed in patients, doctors in Mumbai have noticed a rare fungal infection, named as Mucormycosis in several patients. Caused by a fungus called Mucorales, which is usually not known to affect humans, it is causing severe damage to patients during both treatment and after recovery, often necessitating urgent surgery to remove affected parts above the neck, according to experts. Patients recovering after hospitalization, or those at home with milder cases of COVID-19, are seeking care for anxiety, stress, and fear. 3. Another doctor, Dr Amol Patil, senior consultant, ENT, at Nanavati Hospital removed the eye of a 30-year-old patient to remove the fungus that had infected his sinus. Last Updated: 9th May, 2021 21:30 IST Black Fungus: Experts Shed Light On Rare Fungal Infection In COVID-19 Patients Black Fungus of Mucormycosis is a serious but rare fungal infection that has left many patients blind or deceased while causing serious issues after COVID-19 It usually affects people with a lower immunity, transplant patients or those who are admitted to ICU for a … Microscopic image of mold that causes mucormycosis. This … Mucormycisis is a fungal infection triggered by COVID-19. However, early estimates predict that the overall COVID-19 recovery rate is between 97% and 99.75%. Kapre further said, “Often, the surgeries have to be carried out when the Covid infection is still present, which also poses a risk the doctors. The infection also spreads to other parts of the body, leading to multi-organ failure.”, Dr Bande said, “This problem is largely seen in patients requiring more than 15 days of hospitalisation, which means after very heavy doses of steroid and antibiotics for prolonged period, and severe suppression of immunity.”, The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Patients who lived longer with cancer at greater risk of severe COVID-19 infection. Cases of mucormycosis, a fungal infection, are rising among Covid-19 survivors, causing blindness or serious illness and even death in some cases, … The surge is phenomenal.” Experts highlight that those who have recovered from Covid-19 should keep a watch on symptoms of mucormycosis, such as stuffy nose, headache, black lesions on the upper inside of the mouth, facial pain, and loss of vision. New Delhi: Mucormycosis, a fungal infection being found in COVID-19 patients with uncontrolled diabetes and prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay, may turn fatal if uncared for, the Centre said on Sunday. Mucormycosis is a very serious but rare fungal infection. Based on a retrospective analysis of SARS and influenza data from China and worldwide, we surmise that the fungal co-infections … Doctors explain deadly fungal infection after recovering from Covid. I had the hacking dry cough and … According to doctors, initially, blackish discoloration on the inside of the nose and palate is seen. And when the patients seek medical attention, it is already in the advanced stage called sinonasal mucormycosis. The infection affects several parts of the body like nose, eyes and even the brain, creating a gangrene-like situation and thus requiring removal of affected parts by surgery. Doctors are reporting this infection in Covid-19 patients with low immunity, and in cases with high steroid use. According to Dr Tatyarao Lahane, who heads the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), cases of mucormycosis are on the rise. But this time round, it has gone up multifold all over the country. Also read: 'Foreign Destructive Ideology': PM Modi says beware of this FDI, Also read: Privatisation spree: Govt may bring down number of PSUs to around 24, Looking at the rising number of this rare fungal infection cases in Mumbai, the Global Hospital has now launched city's first Mucormycosis clinic for early diagnosis of the disease, 'Foreign Destructive Ideology': PM Modi says beware of this FDI, Privatisation spree: Govt may bring down number of PSUs to around 24, Were Sachin, Lata Mangeshkar, others forced to tweet in govt's support? A deadly fungal infection is affecting a rising number of recovered COVID patients in India, as doctors battle to treat patients in a health system already under severe pressure. It is a rare complication developing in COVID patients, sometimes, during active COVID infection, but more commonly - weeks to months after recovery from COVID. The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards. 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A previously healthy 37-year-old man presented with fevers and myalgias for a week with a minimal dry cough. Black fungus or mucormycosis has been a cause of disease and death of patients in transplants, ICUs and … Virologist Shahid Jameel explains. Three days after resolution of all symptoms, he developed sudden onset chest … According to doctors, Mucormycosis causes blindness, organ dysfunction, loss of body tissue, and even death, if not treated in time. Aspergillosis infection spreads in the respiratory tract and lungs. COVID-19 pneumonitis has cough but no sputum. After a few months of recovery, she complained of pain in her mouth and developed swelling. Coronavirus Crisis Interview: What are the chances of reinfection after recovery from Covid-19? Recovering from COVID usually takes around 2 weeks (for mild cases) and about a month for people with a serious infection. Mumbai: At least eight COVID-19 survivors have died due to mucormycosis, a fungal infection, during treatment in Maharashtra, a senior official said on Saturday, adding the total 200 such patients are being treated. The most common fungal infections in patients with COVID-19 include aspergillosis or invasive candidiasis. A patient suffering from Mucormycosis has similar symptoms like cold or nasal block. “Covid patients get heavy doses of steroids and antibiotics during hospitalisation, causing dip in immunity levels. I recovered from Covid-19 back in April. Therefore, it gets unnoticed to an advanced stage. It is a rare but dangerous fungal infection caused by a group of moulds known as mucormycetes, which are … So, many such patients get fungal infection both during the infection and after recovery. For all the latest Coronavirus Outbreak News, download Indian Express App. This fungal infection most commonly affects sinuses or lungs after inhaling fungal spores from the air, or the skin after the fungus enters the skin through a cut, burn, or other types of skin injury. This fungal infection came to light during the first ‘wave’ of the pandemic, typically a couple of weeks after the patient was discharged, Dr Marfatia said. But I had to do over 30 such surgeries in the last two months,” said eminent ENT surgeon Madan Kapre. This fungal infection most commonly affects sinuses or lungs after inhaling fungal spores from the air, or the skin after the fungus enters the skin through a cut, burn, or other types of skin injury. The fungal infection disfigured Sonar's face and now she will require plastic surgery. “The problem was not witnessed on such a big scale during the first Covid wave. The daily, citing Dr Milind Navalakhe, a senior consultant ENT surgeon at the hospital, informed that the fungal infection had spread inside her mouth which infected her palate. 2. Mucormycosis is more common among people who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body's ability to fight germs and sickness. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been sweeping across the globe. The expert said that the infection spreads fast and causes fatality in up to 80 per cent of the cases. Looking at the rising number of this rare fungal infection cases in Mumbai, the Global Hospital has now launched city's first Mucormycosis clinic for early diagnosis of the disease. For instance, a patient named Shaila Sonar, a resident of Dhule was diagnosed with coronavirus on August 1. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines. In a report in Hindustan Times, the doctors told the daily that there is a gradual surge in Mucormycosis across Mumbai. 1–6 These fungal co-infections are reported with increasing frequency and can be associated with severe illness and death. ”But now some patients are contracting this infection even while undergoing COVID-19 treatment,” he said. How You Might Feel While Recovering Not everyone who … Dr Navalakhe added that in the past three months, around 50 recovered with low immunity, and conditions such as diabetes have been detected with the fungal infection. Otherwise, it could have reached her brain and proved to be fatal," the doctor added. What is Mucormycosis? Congress says Maha govt to probe, LPG cylinder prices hiked: Check out how much it costs in your city. According to doctors, Mucormycosis causes blindness, organ dysfunction, loss of body tissue, and even death, if not treated in time. "To stop the spread of the infection, we had to partially remove the palate. It was found, Sonar had Sinonasal Mucormycosis and surgery was the only option left. A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv shows the occurrence of ocular pathology in the period of recovery following COVID-19. 9 May 2021, 9:40 am. “Steroids must be used in low doses in patients, who need oxygen and only after second week of Covid infection starts. By December, her conditions deteriorated, and then she got admitted to Global Hospital, Parel, on December 1. Dr Alison Pittard, Dean of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine, says it can take 12 to 18 months to get back to normal after any spell in critical care. In bacterial pneumonia, there is an increase in white blood cells, especially neutrophils; in pneumonitis of COVID-19, the increase in white blood cells is not observed. Serious fungal infection seen in some Covid patients with co-morbidities: Expert Caused by a fungus called Mucorales, which is usually not known to affect humans, it is causing severe damage to patients during both treatment and after recovery, often necessitating urgent surgery to remove affected parts above the neck, according to experts. The infection "seems to last a little longer with Covid-19 than it does with flu or other respiratory illnesses and is a little bit more prevalent So it’s a very tricky matter.”, Chandrashekhar Bande, a dentist, said, “The fungal infection enters the body usually through the teeth and gums and then spreads very fast, often to the bones of the jaw, nose and those near eyes. Later, doctors implanted the eye back. Kapre, who heads many national bodies of medical specialities, has organised an all-India webinar to discuss the new challenge and establish a standard protocol for treatment of mucormycosis-affected patients, on Friday. 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