Mucormycosis which is also known by the name Black Fungus is a rare and deadly fungal infection that can infect the brain, sinuses, or lungs and if not treated early, it can be fatal. Black Fungus is currently in news due to its connection to Covid-19. In some of the cases, Black Fungus disease is observed infecting the coronavirus positive patients.
However, one must take note that this infectious disease is not affecting every Covid-19 patient. Only the patients with low immune, organ transplant patients or have some other severe diseases such as HIV, diabetes, are highly prone to get infected from Black Fungus. If it is not detected or treated early, the patient suffering from Black Fungus disease can lose his/her eyesight completely and in most severe case it can be fatal as well.
Mucormycosis (Black Fungus) Types
There are mainly five types of Mucormycosis or Black Fungus disease which we have explained below:
Rhinocerebral Mucormycosis: This type of Black Fungus disease is infectious to sinus and brain. It first causes an infection in the sinuses and then it spreads to the brain, if not treated early. This type of Black Fungus disease can be seen in the patients who are dealing with uncontrolled diabetes and the ones who have gone through a kidney transplant.
Pulmonary Mucormycosis: This type of Mucormycosis is infectious to lungs and infects the patients dealing with cancer or the patients who have gone through an organ or stem cell transplant.
Gastrointestinal Mucormycosis: This type of Mucormycosis is infectious to very young children, particularly the premature as well as low birth weight infants aged below one month who have been taking medications or have gone through a surgery.
Cutaneous Mucormycosis: This type of Mucormycosis is infectious to skin where the fungi enter a person’s body through a skin trauma or break in the skin such as after a burn or a cut or a surgery etc.
Disseminated Mucormycosis: This type of Mucormycosis happens when the infection spreads through the bloodstream which resulted in affecting another body part, specially brain but also heart, spleen, and skin.
Mucormycosis Symptoms
The common symptoms of Mucormycosis according to Black Fungus disease types are as follows:
- Symptoms of pulmonary mucormycosis are Fever, Cough, Chest Pain and Breathing Difficulties.
- Symptoms of Rhinocerebral Mucormycosis are Fever, Headache, Facial swelling on one side, Nasal or sinus congestion, etc.
- In Cutaneous Mucormycosis, the infected area may turn black or excessive red. The patient may feel pain, warmth or excessive swelling around the wound.
- Symptoms of Gastrointestinal Mucormycosis are constant Abdominal pain, Nausea and vomiting, and Gastrointestinal bleeding.
Prevention & Treatment of Mucormycosis
In order to prevent yourself from Black Fungus disease, the patient must Keep his/her blood’s glucose or sugar level under control. Take injections of steroids recommended by your doctor. Drink clean water and try to avoid contact with soil, damp walls on old buildings as these are the common sources of this infectious disease.
For the treatment of Mucormycosis, Amphotericin B therapy is immediately directed after detecting the infection in order to prevent its spread in the body. After the antifungal medication therapy, a surgical removal of the “fungus ball” has been directed by the doctors.
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