UPSC Articles
Doctors witness increased cases of Covid-19 triggered Mucormycosis
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – International Relations
In news
- Recently, doctors have witnessed increased cases of Covid-19 triggered Mucormycosis.
- The reduced immunity of Covid-19 patients makes them more susceptible to this fungal infection.
Important value addition
- Mucormycosis is also called Black Fungus or Zygomycosis.
- It is a serious but rare fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes.
- It occurs through inhalation, inoculation, or ingestion of spores from the environment.
- Mucormycosis does not spread between people or between people and animals.
- It usually occurs in people who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness.
- Symptoms: One-sided facial swelling and numbness, headache, nasal or sinus congestion, black lesions on nasal bridge or upper inside of the mouth, fever, abdominal pain, nausea and gastrointestinal bleeding.
- It needs to be treated with prescription antifungal medicine.
- Often, mucormycosis requires surgery to cut away the infected tissue.
- There is no vaccine to prevent it.
- Early detection can prevent loss of eyesight, nose or jaw through clinical intervention.
