Explained: Why Black Fungus Complications is an added worry to India's Covid Woes?

Mucormycosis is also known as black fungus, it can turn out to be dangerous if it is left untreated. The doctors have stated that, amid reports of re-emergence of the rare, deadly fungal infection among Covid-19 patients.

The Major Side effect of Covid is Black Fungus

Black fungus is mainly the side effect of Covid. The patients suffering from diabetes are at high risk; early detection is possible for patients who have been hospitalized, with the help of doctors and nurses. But those, who are at home, it becomes difficult, to track this deadly infection.

How risky is to get infected by black fungus?

We find the fatality rate in Mucormycosis cases is very high.

As per data, available so far, the mortality rate is as high as 80%, if the patients go untreated or remain untreated for long. Even If treated, then it would be still 40 to 50%. In cases, as to where the infection is caught, at the sinus stage itself, the patients mostly tend to completely recover.

Apart from it, as per the doctors, the drug which has been used for treating this condition comes with varied strong side effects. That can, in few cases, it has found, it has led to stroke, neurological dysfunction and kidney issues.

More number of deaths in our nation than ever before

India is presently witnessing more number of deaths; it remains a worry not only to our nation, but entire globe as well. More than 75,000 deaths have been linked to Coronavirus complications, so far, it has been considered to be highest in any month. When we see, the previous record, in April 2021, there were about 49,000 deaths. The other biggest worry for the nation is due to black fungus or mucormycosin, in varied parts of the nation are also on the rise.

The central government has asked the doctors to look for the signs of mucormyocosis or black fungurs in Covid-19 patients, as more hospital reports, state that, there has been a rise in the number of black fungus cases; it can turn out to be fatal.

Watch for Early symptoms: ICMR

The Indian council of Medical Research, during the previous week has advised all those doctors, who are engaged in treating Covid-19 patients, diabetes as well as those individuals having compromised immune system, to watch for early symptoms of black fungus. The key symptoms include

1. Sinus pain
2. Nasal blockage on one side of the face
3. Swelling
4. Numbness
5. Toothache
6. Loosening of the teeth
7. One sided headache

Why black fungus cases are rising rapidly?

Most doctors felt that, Mucormycosis, which was triggered by unregulated use of medicines on Covid patients without controlling the blood sugar levels. Many others also felt that, due to post-Covid unhygienic lifestyle at home, it has paved the way for the black fungus, inorder to afflict immunosupressed health systems.

Self medication without guidance from medical experts

Most of the Covid patients usually they prefer to stay in home quarantine and take self medication. There is no one, who is a medical expert to monitor or control their sugar levels or other health issues. And we have also found, some of the Covid Patients, have also followed advice given by the doctors, who is not qualified and medicines were given without checking parameters, which might be harmful.

Followed social Media for home remedies

Some of them, have resorted to varied home treatment remedies, which could also be, forwarded posts on social media, stated Dr. Nerkar.

Using Tap water in flow meters

Many people have used oxygen cylinders in their homes, with tap water in flow meters, which might have led to fungal infections such as Mucromycosis.

Unclean ambience and unhygienic lifestyle

Unhygienic lifestyle of living, unclean ambience, which can lead to varied health complication and it attract diseases.

Black Fungus is both Treatable and Preventable

Dr V S Alagu Varshini, IAS, director, department of Ayush, Telangana State stated that, black fungus is very common and it can be found on rotten vegetable, mostly" Muccormycosis is considered to be very serious infection, but the good thing about it is, it is treatable and moreover it is also preventable. With the adjourned treatment process, the patient health progress can be much, she further added.

Many states in India have come forward to classify black fungus as an epidemic disease

Till now, the more number of cases of black fungus have been reported in varied parts of the nation, which include Karnataka, Telangana, Madhya Pradhesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradhesh, Harayana and Bihar.

Among them, 4 Indian states Andhra Pradhesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Telangana has classified black fungus as an epidemic disease.

Black fungus and death rate

The woes of the health department have increased due to, Mucormycosis, which has a very high fatality rate; hence they have deployed entire resources, so that they can combat Covid-19.

The official has stated, Mucormycosis, was not a notified disease, such as malaria, hence its cases were not mapped, hence a database was not prepared.

Drugs used for black fungus can lead to side effects

Drugs used in the treatment of Mucormycosis, have numerous side effects, it can lead to kidney issues, neurological dysfunction as well as stroke, the doctor stated.

Black Fungus and its complications

As per the Union Health Ministry, the Mucormycosis or black fungus is a complication, which is caused due to fungal infection. People tend to catch Mucormycosis by coming in contact with the fungal spores in the environment. It may develop on the skin after the fungus enter the skin through varied ways such as burn, scrape, cut or any other type of skin trauma.

Who tends to have a higher risk for Black Fungus?

The health Ministry has stated that, the disease is being detected among patients, who are recovering or who have been recovered from Covid-19. Moreover, any individuals, who is diabetic, that's not all, but whose immune system tends to be not functioning efficiently well, in those cases, they must be more cautious and should be on guard against it.

Black fungus Treatment

The treatment definitely requires multidisciplinary expertise due to fungal infection spreading through the nose, eyes, and it can even reach the brain. The treatment does involve surgically removing the entire dead as well as infected tissue in a few patients, this might result in loss of upper jaw and sometimes, even one may lose their eye.

Cure might also involve a time period, of around 4 to 6 weeks course of intravenous antifungal therapy. As it affects varied parts of the body, the treatment might require a team of microbiologists, internal medicine specialists, ENT specialists, intensivist neurologists, ophthalmologist's surgeons, dentists and others.

Foremost prevention method

Controlling diabetes is one of the foremost prevention methods, which was suggested by ICMR. Hence Covid-19 patients who are diabetic must take utmost care.

Doctor Prescription must be strictly followed

Both, self-medication and over dosage of steroid might even result in fatal events, hence doctor's prescription must be followed strictly.

Medicine used to treat black fungus cases

Amphotercin B Liposomal has been used for the treatment of the fungal infection. Each infected patient would need almost 60 vials of the injection and they would each cost about Rs 5,000 to 6000.

The availability situation for this above medicine is presently alarming, due to supply been controlled by the government in its absence, few doctors have stated that they have moved to second-line drugs such as Posaconazole.

Strictly you should not opt for self-medication, if you are infected by black fungus, then you must use those medicines, which has been prescribed as per the medical supervision, stated doctors. Also, one should watch out for over-dosage of steroids, they warn.

Shortage of medicines to treat black fungus

On Wednesday, the Delhi High court has asked the centre as well as Delhi Government to apprise about the issue of shortage of medicine, used for treating black fungus.

The high court has said, the government must elaborate, as to what it considers as bottleneck and how the medicine would suddenly be in short supply, even when it is possible to locally manufacture it.

The issue of shortage of medicine Amphotercin B for treating Mucormycosis (black fungus) which has raised by advocate Rakesh Malhotra, who has also referred a recent order, which has been passed by the Delhi government, it is concerning, requisitioning of the drug for the ailment.

WHO classifies Indian Variant as one of the Global Concern?

The World Health Organization has stated that B.1617 Corona Virus variant 1st identified in India during the last year, it was being classified as a variant of Global concern. And as per few preliminary studies, which has been conducted, it has revealed, it spreads more easily.

One bright spot is that, the vaccines might be protective, White House chief medical adviser; Anthony Fauci has stated that preliminary evidence from lab studies has suggested that Covaxin, this drug was developed in India, appears to have potential to neutralize the variant.