Surge of mucormycosis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patients with respiratory viral infections are more likely to develop co-infections leading to increased fatality. Mucormycosis is an epidemic amidst the COVID-19 pandemic that conveys a 'double threat' to the global health fraternity. Mucormycosis is caused by the Mucorales group of fungi and exhibits acute angioinvasion generally in immunocompromised patients. The most familiar foci of infections are sinuses (39%), lungs (24%), and skin tissues (19%) where the overall dissemination occurs in 23% of cases. The mortality rate in the case of disseminated mucormycosis is found to be 96%. Symptoms are mostly nonspecific and often resemble other common bacterial or fungal infections. Currently, COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) is being reported from a number of countries such as the USA, Turkey, France, Mexico, Iran, Austria, UK, Brazil, and Italy, while India is the hotspot for this deadly co-infection, accounting for approximately 28,252 cases up to June 8, 2021. It strikes patients within 12-18 days after COVID-19 recovery, and nearly 80% require surgery. Nevertheless, the mortality rate can reach 94% if the diagnosis is delayed or remains untreated. Sometimes COVID-19 is the sole predisposing factor for CAM. Therefore, this study may provide a comprehensive resource for clinicians and researchers dealing with fungal infections, intending to link the potential translational knowledge and prospective therapeutic challenges to counter this opportunistic pathogen.

Mild and moderate COVID-19 disease does not affect hearing function permanently: a cross-sectional study involving young and middle-aged healthcare givers.

PURPOSE: To assess the hearing function of patients with mild and moderate COVID-19. METHODS: The hospital staffs recovered from COVID-19 were included. The candidates who had an ear disease or progressive hearing loss prior to COVID-19, or having been hospitalised because of severe and critical COVID-19 were excluded. The age, sex, symptoms during COVID-19, and medications received for the disease were noted. The hearing thresholds (HT) of the participants who had an audiogram before having COVID-19 disease were recorded. A pure tone audiometry was conducted to all. The participants were classified into two groups; Group 1: participants who had an audiogram previously, Group 2: participants who didn't have an audiogram previously. The changes of the HTs of the participants in Group 1 were analyzed. The HTs of the participants in Group 2 were documented without any comparison. The HTs of all participants were also analyzed by classifying them into subgroups according to their symptoms during, and medications received for COVID-19. RESULTS: Fifty-four males and 47 females (18-59 years) were included. The participants' HTs in Group 1 (n = 31) did not change significantly at any of the frequencies after having COVID-19 (p > 0.05). The pure tone averages of the participants in Group 2 (n = 70) were below 25 dB and none of the participants reported worsening of their hearing permanently. The differences between the HTs of none of the subgroups were statistically significant (p > 0.05, p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Mild and moderate COVID-19 and its treatments did not affect the hearing function permanently.