Lets start the topic black fungus disease under the following heads

Which Fungus is Causative Agent of Black Fungus Disease?

Mucomycosis or Black Fungus (in hindi Kali Fafund) is the rare fungal disease caused by fungus (Mould) Mucor which is belong to the class Mucomycetes (previously Zygomycetes).

It is also known by ROCM (Rhino-orbital-cerebral-mucormycosis).

All fungi are heterotrophic organism and about more than one Lakh species have been reported by biologist.Parasitic fungus causes diseases in human, animals and in plants.

This fungus is cosmopolitan and its spores are found in our surrounding environment. Infective spores are microscopic in size and not visible by naked eyes.

These spores germinate on dead and decaying organic materials such as plant and animals remains.

We are also familiar with this fungus which is rotting our bread, Pickles etc.

Black Fungus normally not causes any severe problem in human beings but the person who is suffering from Immunodeficiency (due to immunosuppressive drugs) has high risk of this fungal infection.

There is list of possibilities where fungus can cause infection to humans

 

1-Person who is suffering from the sugar or Diabetes

2-Corona recovered patients or recovering patients which are treated by certain steroids drugs that affect their immune system.

3-Persons who regularly use steroids in any type of disease treatments

4-in person where bone marrow or organ transplantation has been done

5-persons who is suffering from cancer or AIDS.

6-in case of patients who is taking immunosuppressive drugs

Why Black Fungus more infect Covid-19 patients?

In INDIA, case of black fungus increases due to increase in numbers of corona patients. In Covid-19 patients who recovered or recovering there is high risk of black fungus because of their treatment procedure.

in Covid-19 patient due to increase of iron(Fe) content, which favor the growth of black fungus

Medicine such as steroids which are used in the treatment of corona virus.

Steroid use increases the sugar level in non diabetic too which also favor the growth of fungus.

Infected Body Parts:

Black Fungus mostly infected the sinus, nose mouth skin, intestine and eyes and in severe cases can damage the nervous system.

In immunosuppressive peoples the mortality rate is high.

Mode of Infection:

A person acquires the infection of black fungus spores from the surrounding environment (soil, plants, rotted fruits and vegetables) or objects contaminated with its spores.

Person also infected if its skin is injured.

Although, there is no evidence of spreading of black fungus from human to human or animals to humans.

Hence it is noncontiguous.

Symptoms:

It is depends on which body part is infected by the black fungus. The most common area of infection is skin, gastrointestinal tract, nervous system and respiratory passage including lungs. Some common symptoms are

a. Black spots on mouth or nasal area

b. Fever, Headache

c. swelling of face on one side

d. in severe case nervous tissue damage

e. abdominal pain, vomiting, redness near eye

Diagnosis:

As of the need of clinical requirement, CT (computed topography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan of the infected part such as Sinuses, Nasal region, Gastrointestinal tract as well as Nervous system (brain) can be done.

Prevention:

“Prevention is better than cure”

One good thing is that, it is not contagious, hence not spread from person to person.

Totally remove rotting pickle, breads etc.

Try to avoid to direct contact with soil or dust in field area.

Wear mask, gloves and full sleeves cloths if as far possible.

Reduce or stop the steroids if possible.

Treatment-

In severe cases black fungus cause high mortality.

Amphotericin B is the antifungal injection used in the treatment of this disease. Besides this, this injection is also used in the treatment of Leishmaniasis.

The number of black fungus increasing day by day in India (more than 8500 cases till 23^rd of may 2021)

The main problem is that its production is not very high and in India there are five or six companies produced this but it has been reported that amphotericin B injection production can be increases by the end of june.

it is also note that most of the antifungal injection can cause bad effect on the kidney due to metabolic site is also kidney.

In severe cases the infected part or whole tissue removed by surgery, even eye has been removed by operation in several black fungus infected patients.

Actually, to prevent the spread of infection in other areas in the body there is immediate need to operate necrosis tissue or damaged tissue of that organ.

“Early diagnosis and effective treatment as well as Social awareness is the weapons to cope up from Black Fungus or Mucormycosis”