COVID-19 and mucormycosis fungal infection: All you need to know
Mucormycosis is an existing but rare fungal infection with continuous headache, heaviness in the facial area, or swelling as the initial symptoms
Here's what you need to know about Mucormycosis. (Source: AP) One may suffer mild to moderate respiratory issues if infected with COVID-19, but in many cases, the virus is affecting a patients’ overall well-being and aggravating other severe diseases, if any, as well. After months of research, it is now known that apart from attacking the respiratory tract, COVID also affects blood vessels and the body’s defense mechanism drastically.
But of late, a number of hospitals have reported Mucormycosis in COVID-recovered patients. Mucormycosis is an existing, though rare, fungal infection; but why are COVID-recovered patients getting affected by the same?
“It is a fungal infection which starts in the nasal area, throat, and then soon spreads to the eyes, brain, and finally, the entire body. Once it starts infecting a patient’s brain, it becomes life-threatening. Its rapid spread worsens the condition which can lead to multiple organ failure as well if left untreated or not treated at the right time. In the process, it damages immunity, aggravates other diseases, and makes the patient infection-prone,” Dr Neha Sethi, consultant, ENT specialist, Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital.
Health workers test for corona infection at Mankhud Mumbai. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
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