Pune: More hospitals in the city are reporting an increased number of people diagnosed with Mucormycosis. Most of these reported cases are from those who have recovered from Covid-19. Mucormycosis is rare and serious fungal infection coupled with a high mortality rate. Earlier only a nominal number of cases were being reported throughout the year. Now almost every hospital is reporting about 10 more cases every month.
Dr Sudhir Halikar, head of department, ENT, at Noble Hospital, said, “Mucormycosis is a serious fungal infection of sinonasal cavities which is usually seen in patients with uncontrolled diabetes with very high blood sugar levels and ketoacidosis. However, recently we have witnessed this serious fungal infection in patients treated for and recovering from Covid infection. Use of high doses of steroids, other medications leading to high blood sugar levels with compromised immunity probably is a reason for this dreaded infection.”
A 60-year-old man was recovering from Covid, but he developed some cellulitis and redness on his cheek area which spread to the eye and was diagnosed with Mucormycosis. Dr Abhishek Ghosh, a microvascular reconstructive surgeon who treated the patient, said, “He was seen by the local ophthalmologist near Daund. Then they got an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) done and they came to our hospital. We started with advanced antifungals and put him up for surgery the next day. We did orbital exenteration and endoscopic sinus clearance. He is doing well and doesn’t need ICU and is on antifungal treatment which will last for three to four weeks.”
“Last month, we treated six patients in the age group between 36 years and 70 years in our hospital alone. Two of them were non-diabetic, but developed high sugar levels during the course of treatment for Covid. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical in saving vision and life in such patients. We have saved two patients with intact vision and eyeballs, but in four cases the disease has already spread to orbit with the dead eye (and complete loss of vision),” Dr Ghosh added.
{{/usCountry}}“Last month, we treated six patients in the age group between 36 years and 70 years in our hospital alone. Two of them were non-diabetic, but developed high sugar levels during the course of treatment for Covid. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical in saving vision and life in such patients. We have saved two patients with intact vision and eyeballs, but in four cases the disease has already spread to orbit with the dead eye (and complete loss of vision),” Dr Ghosh added.
{{/usCountry}}Symptoms of Mucormycosis post-Covid may include redness or induration near the cheek or the eye or may have some sinusitis infection, bouts of headache, heaviness, blackish discharge from the nose, vision will suddenly deteriorate. Sudden onset of headache on one part of the brain along with redness or induration near the cheek or eye should be considered a warning signal in these post-Covidpatients. Once the vision is lost, the eyeball has to be completely removed along with sinus clearance through a surgery called orbital and sinonasal exenteration.
Dr Halikar said, “There is a high mortality rate while treating Mucormycosis, but surgery is the only option. If that is not performed then the infection is likely to spread to the brain.”
Dr Ameet Dravid, infectious disease control specialist from Poona Hospital, said, “India being the diabetes capital of the world, more number of cases of Mucormycosis post-Covid-19 are seen in India. Previously, we used to see two to three cases of Mucormycosis in a year. Now, we have started seeing 8 to 10 cases a month. This is an alarming rise. Poorly controlled diabetes and random prescription of steroids are leading to patients coming up with Mucormycosis at tertiary care centres. There is a high possibility that many cases are underreported, and people are losing their lives. This is happening because the symptoms are very subtle and timely investigations is not done.”