Doctors flag post-COVID deadly fungal infection in patients

Doctors said that they have come across over 30 such cases in the city; PIC: MANOJ BIDKAR
Called mucormycosis , the rare disease is being registered in immunocompromised patients recovered from coronavirus
Citydoctors have reported multiple cases of a deadly fungal infection in patients, which they claim was triggered by novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19 ). Called mucormycosis, the infection is said to affect eyes, nose, and jaw bone and has a 50 per cent chance of causing death within a fortnight if spread to the brain.
Doctors informed that they have come across over 30 such cases in the city and feel that the common link in all the instances was that the patients had recovered from COVID-19 and were immunocompromised. Many patients complained of symptoms such as obstruction in nose, pus discharge from teeth, mobile teeth, swelling of eyes, visible jaw bones, limited eye movement, among multiple other issues, doctors said. All of them were found to be suffering from one or two ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, tumour and human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV), added the medical professionals. Cities such as Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Delhi have registered many such cases.
MJM Hospital , who claims to have seen 11such cases at the facility.
“Normally,COVID patients are given steroids and immunosuppression medicines to avoid cytokine storm. This lowers one’s immunity, which could result in the fungus developing in the next 10-15 days,” explained the doctor.
Dr Pushkar Gadre, consultant and oral and maxillofacial surgeon, added that during the tests, it was found that the fungal infection had reached the sinus in her forehead, decaying her right jaw and bone. “We immediately put her on medication and brought her diabetes under control. The right jaw of the patient was removed and the sinus between her eyes and forehead was cleaned,” elaborated Dr Gadre.
In another case, a 24-year-old male from Viman Nagar who had tested positive for COVID and later discharged was also found to have contracted mucormycosis. The man was a known case of leukaemia and started getting recurrent headache after being discharged from the hospital. “Tests revealed that the infection had already destroyed a signif- icant part of his upper jawbone and muscles.
He is undergoing a rehabilitation process, which could be achieved by using dentures or by fixing a zygoma implant,” said Dr Kiran Gadre, senior consultant and maxillofacial surgeon atRuby Hall Clinic , Pune .
Dr Gadre, however, added that although he has come across over 30 such cases, no casualties were reported till now, adding that in his 30-yearlong career, he has hardly seen four to five cases of mucormycosis in a year. Dr Gadre informs that in all the cases seen over the past month and a half, the patients recovered from COVID and were immunocompromised with morbid conditions.
Mucormycosis (previously called zygomycosis) is a serious but rare fungal infection caused by a group of moulds called mucormycetes. These moulds live in the environment. The infection mainly affects people with health problems or those with low immunity due to taking strong medications. It most commonly affects the sinuses or the lungs after inhaling fungal spores from the air or the skin after the fungus enters the skin through a cut or burn. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has, however, stated that it can affect any part of the body.
City
Doctors informed that they have come across over 30 such cases in the city and feel that the common link in all the instances was that the patients had recovered from COVID-19 and were immunocompromised. Many patients complained of symptoms such as obstruction in nose, pus discharge from teeth, mobile teeth, swelling of eyes, visible jaw bones, limited eye movement, among multiple other issues, doctors said. All of them were found to be suffering from one or two ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, tumour and human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV), added the medical professionals. Cities such as Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Delhi have registered many such cases.
In one case, a 55-year-old woman from Mundhwa who had recovered from COVID-19 complained of nose obstruction and within two days developed eye swelling. “During examination, she had pus in her gums and all her teeth had become mobile. A known case of diabetes and mucor, she showed up with fungus in her nose debris,” said Dr Yash Bhoulikar, physician at
“Normally,
Dr Pushkar Gadre, consultant and oral and maxillofacial surgeon, added that during the tests, it was found that the fungal infection had reached the sinus in her forehead, decaying her right jaw and bone. “We immediately put her on medication and brought her diabetes under control. The right jaw of the patient was removed and the sinus between her eyes and forehead was cleaned,” elaborated Dr Gadre.
In another case, a 24-year-old male from Viman Nagar who had tested positive for COVID and later discharged was also found to have contracted mucormycosis. The man was a known case of leukaemia and started getting recurrent headache after being discharged from the hospital. “Tests revealed that the infection had already destroyed a signif- icant part of his upper jawbone and muscles.
He is undergoing a rehabilitation process, which could be achieved by using dentures or by fixing a zygoma implant,” said Dr Kiran Gadre, senior consultant and maxillofacial surgeon at
Dr Gadre, however, added that although he has come across over 30 such cases, no casualties were reported till now, adding that in his 30-yearlong career, he has hardly seen four to five cases of mucormycosis in a year. Dr Gadre informs that in all the cases seen over the past month and a half, the patients recovered from COVID and were immunocompromised with morbid conditions.
Mucormycosis (previously called zygomycosis) is a serious but rare fungal infection caused by a group of moulds called mucormycetes. These moulds live in the environment. The infection mainly affects people with health problems or those with low immunity due to taking strong medications. It most commonly affects the sinuses or the lungs after inhaling fungal spores from the air or the skin after the fungus enters the skin through a cut or burn. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has, however, stated that it can affect any part of the body.
GALLERIES View more photos
Recent Messages ()
Please rate before posting your Review
SIGN IN WITH
Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive. Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.