Mucormycosis an Emerging Fungal Infection Associated with COVID-19- A Case Report

Introduction: Mucormycosis is an exceptional but rising fungal infection correlated with the COVID-19 disease. COVID-19 positive patients exhibiting severe symptoms admitted in the ICU have an increased susceptibility to develop bacterial and fungal infection. We hereby report a case of oral mucormycosis that is seen in a patient in post COVID-19 infection. Case Presentation: A 65-year-old woman presented to our institution, with the chief complaint of ulceration in her right palate region for the past 7 days along with pyrexia and generalised malaise. The patient reported to have recovered from COVID-19 infection recently. She presented with medical history of diabetes and hypertension for past 8 years. Post recovery from COVID-19 infection the patient developed an ulcer in the hard palate. Treatment: Surgery was done under General anesthesia. Maxillectomy was done with aggressive debridement of necrotic tissue. Bilaterally periosteal flap was approximated and suture was placed. Conclusion: The extensive use of steroids and broad-spectrum antibiotics in COVID-19 treatment may raise the risk of fungal infections. Medical practitioners should be aware of the possibility of invasive secondary fungal infections in patients with COVID-19 infection.

Rapid spread of Chikungunya virus infection in Orissa: India.

Background & objectives : A large number of cases of undiagnosed fever and joint pain were reported from different parts of the State of Orissa since February 2006. Epidemiological and laboratory investigation were carried out to confirm the cause of emerging illness, which was provisionally suspected as Chikungunya (CHIK) fever. Methods: Upon getting the reports of suspected CHIK like illness in different parts of the State, epidemic investigations were carried out in the outbreak affected villages. Case history was recorded, clinical examination undertaken and blood samples collected for seroconfirmation for CHIK IgM antibody using ELISA based kit. Simultaneously vector survey was also carried out. Results: With no previous record of CHIK infection in the State, the first outbreak was confirmed during February 2006. Subsequently, the infection spread to 13 of 30 districts in different episodes covering 79 villages till November 2007. Attack rate was 9-43 per cent in the different outbreaks with average seropositivity of 24 per cent to CHIK specific IgM. Morbidity was high though no deaths were recorded. Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus were identified as the possible vectors for transmission. Interpretation & conclusions : The report confirmed emergence of CHIK infection in the State of Orissa, India, and its spread to a larger geographic zone in a short period which warrants public health measures to control further spread.

Retrospective analysis of epidemiological investigation of Japanese encephalitis outbreak occurred in Rourkela, Orissa, India.

There was an outbreak of Japanese encephalitis (JE) during July/August of 1993 in Rourkela City of Orissa, India. Among the serum samples, 40% of the sera showed antibodies against JE, while 17% of the sera showed recent infection to dengue virus. As many as 15 species of mosquitos were encountered in and around the affected areas. Species like Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Cx, vishnui, Cx. pseudovishnui and Cx. bitaeniorhynchus constituted 19% of the total collections. The above species were resistant to DDT and dieldrin, but susceptible to malathion.

Transmission dynamics of filariasis in Khurdha district of Orissa, India.

A three year longitudinal study was carried out to quantify the different parameters of filarial transmission in an endemic area of Orissa State, India. Parasitological surveys revealed mean microfilaria rate, microfilaria density and median microfilaria density (MFD-50) to be 9.41, 19.23 and 7.33, respectively. The per man hour density of the vector, Culex quinquefasciatus varied from 24.2 to 66.0 with a peak in January. Infection rate varied from 0.9 to 27.5%, while infectivity rate ranged between 0.0 and 15.2%. Infectivity rate showed high correlation with microfilaria rate and per man hour density of adult mosquito. The highest numbers of first stage larvae (L1), second stage larvae (L2) and third stage larvae (L3) per mosquito were found to be 25, 22 and 11, respectively. Average L3 load per infective mosquito ranged from 1.0 to 7.2. L3 load showed high correlation with microfilaria rate (r = 0.845, p < 0.01) while no correlation was seen with microfilaria density.