Black Fungus Infection: Government Issues Dos and Donts For COVID-19 Survivors

‘Mucormycosis’ or the fatal Black Fungus infection is on the rise amid COVID-19 patients. It is being found in COVID-19 patients with uncontrolled diabetes and prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay. The disease often manifests in the skin and also affects the lungs and the brain. The disease has been detected in Delhi, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.

The government has released an evidence-based advisory for screening, diagnosis, and management of the disease. Stating that it may turn fatal if not cared for. The fungal infection affects people who are medication that reduces their ability to fight environmental pathogens. Sinuses or lungs of such individuals get affected after fungal spores are inhaled from the air.

Evidence based Advisory in the time of #COVID-19 (𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 & 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐮𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐲𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬) @MoHFW_INDIA @PIB_India @COVIDNewsByMIB @MIB_India #COVID19India #IndiaFightsCOVID19 #mucormycosis #COVID19Update pic.twitter.com/iOGVArojy1

— ICMR (@ICMRDELHI) May 9, 2021

Here is all you need to know about Black Fungus Symptoms, Do’s And Don’ts:

Symptoms:

• Pain and redness around eyes and/or nose
• Fever
• Headache
• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Bloody vomits
• Altered mental status

Dos

• Control hyperglycemia
• Monitor blood glucose level post-COVID-19 discharge and also in diabetics
• Use steroid judiciously
• Use clean, sterile water for humidifiers during oxygen therapy
• Use antibiotics/antifungals judiciously

DON’TS

• Do not miss warning signs and symptoms
• Do not consider all the cases with a blocked nose as cases of bacterial sinusitis
• Do not hesitate to seek aggressive investigations, as appropriate (KOH staining & microscopy, culture, MALDITOF), for detecting fungal etiology
• Do not lose crucial time to initiate treatment for mucormycosis

Preventive Measures:

• Use masks if you are visiting dusty construction sites
• Wear shoes, long trousers, long sleeve shirts, and gloves while handling soil
• Maintain personal hygiene, including thorough scrub bath

When to suspect:

• Sinusitis – nasal blockage or congestion, nasal discharge (blackish/bloody), local pain on the cheekbone One-sided facial pain, numbness or swelling
• Blackish discoloration over the bridge of nose/palate
• Toothache, loosening of teeth, jaw involvement
• Blurred or double vision with pain; fever, skin lesion; thrombosis & necrosis (eschar)
• Chest pain, pleural effusion, haemoptysis, worsening of respiratory symptoms

MANAGEMENT OF MUCORMYCOSIS:

• Control diabetes and diabetic ketoacidosis
• Reduce steroids with the aim to discontinue rapidly
• Discontinue immunomodulating drugs
• No antifungal prophylaxis needed
• Extensive Surgical Debridement – to remove all necrotic materials

The guideline was prepared by the Union Health Ministry and ICMR that have been in the frontline of the government’s war against the coronavirus pandemic.

Also Read:  COVID-triggered Mucormycosis Cases In Delhi: Everything You Need To Know