Black Fungus

Posted On: 2021-08-18 19:37:29

Understanding Black Fungus

 

Mucormycosis, popularly known as ‘Black Fungus’ is a very rare fungal infection that infects one in ten lakh people. It affects the person when Mucor Mold (mucormycetes), which is naturally found in decayed or spoiled food, manure, and in the soil, enters the body. It is also found in the mucus of healthy people and is also present in the air. If the fungus contacts the skin and enters the body through cuts, it causes local infections, but if it enters through the sinus it can cause severe damages to the brain, lungs, and sinus. The infection can be fatal with a mortality rate that can be as high as 50%. 

It can be severely life-threatening for diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS-affected people, people who have undergone transplants, or are on immunosuppressants.  

 

Currently, the reason for the increase of black fungus among people is the excess use of steroids, especially in severely ill Covid19 patients. In Covid patients, steroids are used to lower the inflammation in the lungs of the affected patient overriding the immune system. The use of steroids has proven to cure many Covid positive patients. But, the use of steroids reduces the patient’s immunity and increases the blood sugar levels in diabetic and non-diabetic Covid patients. The low immune system increases the risk of getting infected with black fungus in most of the cases after recovering from Covid19. Many doctors mentioned that wearing face masks without washing them for a longer period and poorly ventilated rooms may also cause black fungus.

 

According to an article published by The Hindustan Times on 21st May 2021, India has recorded 7,205 reported cases of black fungus among which at least 219 people have died. The majority of cases are in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, and Telangana. The state of Rajasthan has already declared black fungus an Epidemic under the Rajasthan Epidemic Act, 2020 on 19th May 2021 followed by Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Gujrat, and Chandigarh, and other affected states.

 

Cure

 

The way of holding back the fungal infection is by keeping a regular check on the sugar levels and provisioning the right amount of steroid doses to the Covid patients especially diabetic patients even after recovery. 

The most disturbing fact about this infection is that it is currently targeting the youth. In most cases, the infection causes blindness and can further cause the death of the patient, and to stop the spread of the infection in the eye sometimes the eyes of patients have to be removed. In a few cases, even the jaw bone, if infected, has to be removed. If the fungus infects the tissues, a team of microbiologists, ENT specialists, surgeons, internal medicine specialists along with other doctors have to remove the infected tissues.

 

If the infection is diagnosed before severe damage, an antifungal injection known as Amphotericin B costing Rs.3,500 per dose has to be injected into the patient’s body every day for 8 weeks. The injection is administered even to the patients who have undergone an operation for the removal of infected tissues. This antifungal injection is the only effective drug against black fungus. Only 6 companies are manufacturing the drug which has resulted in a shortage of doses. Taking into consideration the hike in the number of cases, the Ministry of Chemicals and fertilizers has approved five more pharma companies for the manufacture of Amphotericin.

Currently, in absence of Amphotericin B, Posaconazole, an alternative medicine used for curing yeast and throat infections is now being used by doctors against black fungus. Unlike during Covid19, people are not supposed to self-medicate after being infected by black fungus.

 

Symptoms

 

The symptoms on the affected patients can be 

 

• Stuffy/bleeding/green colored secretion from the nose

• Swelling or pain in the eyes/ droopy eyelids

• Black patches on the nose

• Blurry/ loss of vision

• Numbness or swelling on one side of the face especially cheekbones

• Toothache/ falling of teeth

• Chest pain

• Thrombosis (appearance of blood clots). 

If the doctor is consulted before the spread of the infection becomes severe, the patient can be saved, but most of the patients consult the doctor after complete blindness, because of which the affected eye(s) has to be completely removed. If the infection severely affects the jaw, it also may end up in the removal of the jaw bone.

 

Precautions 

 

The safety measures for Covid19 of

 

• maintaining 6 feet distance

• wearing masks 

• staying home

• sanitizing hands 

• washing hands 

• Inhaling steam

• avoiding touching nose and mouth

• maintaining hygienic lifestyle

 

should be followed for the prevention of black fungus too. 

 

The additional measures are

 

• staying away from garbage, rotting food, and construction sites.

• controlling glucose levels especially if one has recovered from Covid19.

• regularly checking diabetes levels

• ingestion of steroids should be consulted by doctors and monitored regularly.

• not missing the warning signs and symptoms of black fungus.

Crowdfunding

 

Crowdfunding platforms have proved to be of great help during the Covid19 Pandemic. Many crowdfunding platforms raised funds to donate essential kits to the needy as well as helped people raise campaigns on their platforms to save their loved ones. Donors came forward in large numbers and helped the people in distress as there was a lot of helplessness looming around.  

 

“Black Fungus has been declared as an Epidemic and we should hope that it does not turn into a Pandemic.”

 

Author : Hritika Singh