Mucormycosis (Black fungus): An alarming sign for COVID-19 patients

Abstract

Mucormycosis (also known as zygomycosis) is a dangerous but uncommon fungal infection caused by a fungus known as mucormycetes. Mucormycosis can be caused by a variety of fungi. Mucormycetes are fungi that belong to the Mucorales scientific order. Molds can be found all over the place. Mucormycosis is a fungal infection that primarily affects persons who have health issues or who use medications that reduce the body's capacity to resist infections and illness. After inhaling fungal spores from the air, it most usually affects the sinuses or lungs. The majority of people are unaffected by these fungus. Breathing in mucormycete spores, on the other hand, can induce an infection in the lungs or sinuses, which can spread to other regions of the body in patients with compromised immune systems. It can also happen as a result of a cut, a burn, or another sort of skin injury. The fatality rate varied based on the patient's underlying condition, the type of fungus, and the affected body part (for example, the mortality rate was 46 percent among people with sinus infections, 76 percent for pulmonary infections, and 96 percent for disseminated mucormycosis). Antifungal medicines such as amphotericin-B, isavuconazole, posaconazole, and various combinations are used to inhibit the growth. Mucormycosis was studied for its spread, symptoms, treatment, prevention, and consequences.