New Delhi: Before Pandemic Covid-19, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) received six to eight cases of mucormycosis every year.
This year, in the last four months itself, the hospital said it had received almost 175 deadly fungal infections.
All these patients have a history of Covid-19.
“Nearly 121 patients (69%) require nasal and sinus operations, while 26 (15%) require the eye to prevent the spread of infection in the nervous system,” Dr.
Ak Grover, Chair of the OfTalMology Department, SGRH told TII.
He added that 102 patients (58%) were repatriated, while around 38 others (about 22% of the total cases) died.
“Death has been low in our hospital with international standards because of very careful care,” said Dr.
Grover.
Mucormycosis (often called black mushrooms, which is wrong) is a fungal infection that spreads through the inhalation of spores from the environment, such as on the ground or vegetation.
Once in, it can cause blood clots and tissue death.
Infection affects air sinuses around the nose, eyes, and cavities behind the eyes called orbits and brains.
Therefore, it is called cerebral mucormycosis orbito rhinos (ROCM).
The doctor said Musormycosis was not a new disease entity but had just appeared quickly because of Covid-19.
He added that they got 31 Rocc patients, especially men in his 50s and 60s, during the first wave of pandemic.
Four of them died because of the spread of disease in the brain / body.
“In the second wave, the disease was rampant throughout the country.
We also received more than 175 patients, of which around 22% surrendered to this disease,” he added.
Public education about this disease is very important for diagnosis and early management.
Also, the availability of anti-fungal drugs is easy, like liposome amphotericin B, it should be ascertained to save lives, said the doctor.