Comparative Evaluation of COVID-19 Associated Mucormycosis (CAM) and Non-COVID-19-associated Mucormycosis (non-CAM).

OBJECTIVE: To compare COVID-19 associated mucormycosis cases (CAM) with non-COVID-19 associated mucormycosis (non-CAM) cases followed as in-patients. STUDY DESIGN: Observational Study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Adana City Training and Research Hospital, Health Sciences University (HSU), Adana, Turkey, between January 2018 and March 2022. METHODOLOGY: Patients with a diagnosis of mucormycosis (proven and probable) were dichotomised as COVID-19 associated mucormycosis and non-COVID-19 associated mucormycosis cases. Both groups were compared for underlying malignancy, chemotherapy, antifungal therapy related side effects and overall survival. RESULTS: Of the 35 cases enrolled in the study, 17 (48.6%) had CAM and 18 (51.4%) had non-CAM. A statistically significant difference was detected between non-CAM and CAM cases in terms of haematological malignancy, receiving chemotherapy, and antifungal therapy-related side effects (p=0.019, p=0.019, and p=0.027 respectively). Steroid use was found as a risk factor for the diabetic CAM cases (p<0.0001). The difference between the CAM and non-CAM cases in terms of overall survival was not statistically significant (p=0.088). CONCLUSION: Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing number of critical patients, treatment of COVID-19 should be performed cautiously in patients who have the risk of developing CAM, particularly those with diabetes and immunosuppression (haematologic malignancy, receiving steroid or chemotherapy, etc.) and these patients should be monitored closely. KEY WORDS: Mucormycosis, COVID-19, Mucormycosis associated with COVID-19, Diabetes mellitus, Turkey.

Evaluation of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on mucormycosis studies with bibliometric analysis.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated mucormycosis (CAM) is a relatively new concept in the literature that emerged during the pandemic. Bibliometric analysis is a type of analysis that uses mathematical and statistical methods to study the formal properties of knowledge areas. This study aimed to reveal the main themes, conceptual structures, and trends of bibliometric studies on mucormycosis in 2 different periods, pre-and during the pandemic. METHODS: This study consisted of 2 periods: pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19. Articles were collected from the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection database. We provided AND and OR connectors for the keyword query and selected studies based on relevant keywords. Collected data were classified based on their publication date and examined using the R programming language (Version 4.0.3) package Bibliometrix and SciMAT Software. RESULTS: A total of 1261 articles were investigated, and performance and information structure analyses were conducted. Based on Bradford's law, the Journal of Fungi was the top-ranked journal in both periods. Cureus and mycoses were placed 2nd and 3rd in the second period. India is the largest contributor. In performance analysis, conceptual structures such as Rhizopus oryzae, epidemiology, diagnosis, management, treatment, and outcomes were at the forefront of mucormycosis publications during the COVID-19 period. CONCLUSIONS: Research trends have shifted to the clinical treatment and management of COVID-19. Therefore, pathogenesis, diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment strategies for CAM should be developed in the future.

[Two Case of Rhino-Orbito-Cerebral Mucormicosis Developed After COVID-19 Infection]. / COVID-19 Enfeksiyonu Sonrasi Gelisen Iki Rino-Orbito-Serebral Mukormikoz Olgusu.

Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection causes excessive cytokine response and a decrease in cellular immune response and this increases susceptibility to fungal co-infections. Mucormycosis is a rare, lifethreatening invasive fungal infection. In this report, two cases who developed rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis shortly after having COVID-19 infection were presented. The first case was a 68-year old woman who admitted to our clinic with orbital cellulitis in her left eye and had a known diagnosis of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. She was diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia 40 days ago, stayed in the intensive care unit for a long time, and received pulse steroid (1000 mg methylprednisolone), interleukin-1 (IL-1) inhibitor (anakinra) and broad-spectrum antibiotic treatments together with antiviral therapy during this period. The second case was a 63-year-old male patient with known diabetes mellitus, hypertension and retinitis pigmentosa, with a history of hospitalization in the intensive care unit due to COVID-19 pneumonia 20 days ago and received pulse steroid therapy during this period. He admitted to our clinic with the complaints of droopy right eyelid, swelling, nausea and vomiting. In both cases, paranasal sinus tomography findings were consistent with invasive sinusitis. Functional endoscopic sinus surgery was performed immediately in less than 16 hours from the first admission in both cases. Histopathological examination of the both cases revealed results consistent with mucormycosis. Mucorales spp. was isolated in sinus tissue culture of the second case taken during the operation. Both of the patients received liposomal amphotericin B. First case died on the 19th day of the treatment. Second case was discharged with full recovery after nine weeks of treatment. The suppression of cellular immunity during the COVID-19 infection, and the use of steroids and interleukin inhibitors in the treatment of severe cases may increase secondary invasive fungal infections. Therefore, clinicians should more frequently consider possible fungal infections in patients with COVID-19.