COVID-19 AND MUCORMYCOSIS: A SHORT REPORT FROM INDIA

ABSTRACT

Many complications and symptoms were documented on COVID-19 patients in the second-phase of the COVID-19 outbreak in India. Patients with COVID-19 are already of increased risk of pulmonary embolism (PE), acute cardiac injury (ACI), arrhythmias, and a variety of additional consequences such as altered mental status and proptosis. Mucormycosis, a fungal infection produced by a type of moulds known as mucormycetes, was discovered in a COVID-19 patient. It is a very rare and serious fungal infection (Black Fungus). Mucormycosis, one of the most rapidly spreading infections in COVID-19 patients, has been recorded in 11,717 cases in India. Molds dwell in the environment and primarily affect people who have a weak immune system. Inhaling pathogenic organisms from the air usually causes it to harm the sinuses and lungs. COVID-19 individuals have immunosuppressive with significant drop in CD4+T and CD8+T cells, in addition to alveoli damage and severe pulmonary inflammation. As a result, severely ill-patients, particularly those sent in the intensive-care-unit (ICU) and requiring mechanical ventilation, or those with extended hospital stays 40 to 50 days were more susceptible to mucormycosis. Further, it is crucial to find out that COVID-19 patients especially the ones who are severely ill resulting in weaker immune system can further develop a fungal infection during the middle and or latter stages of COVID-19.