PUNE: A total of 128 Covid-recovered patients were diagnosed with mucormycosis in Pune district last week, a report by the district administration has said.
The total number of cases of the invasive fungal infection has gone up to 801 in the last two months.
Of these, 61 patients have succumbed.
A total of 204 patients have recovered.
Data showed that 536 patients are currently undergoing treatment at various hospitals in the district, with key anti-mucormycosis drugs such as amphotericin B still in short supply.
“Doctors have been grappling with widespread shortages of oral anti-fungal tablets and conventional amphotericin, in addition to the chronic scarcity of liposomal amphotericin B injection,” said ENT surgeon Rajeev Yende.
Until recently, doctors were relying on lipid emulsion or conventional amphotericin B and oral anti-fungal tablets to overcome shortages of liposomal amphotericin B.
“But these basic drugs, including oral tablets such as posaconazole, are also now scarce,” said maxillofacial surgeon JB Garde.
Oral tablets such as posaconazole reduce the need for amphotericin.
“Besides posaconazole, there’s an isavuconazole capsule which is effective.
But it is expensive and again, difficult to get,” said another doctor.
Posaconazole prevents fungi from producing a substance called ergosterol, which is a component of fungal cell membranes.
Shyam Pratapwar, assistant commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (Pune) said, “A sharp spike in mucormycosis cases has triggered the drug shortages.
We are trying to sort it out.
There are quite a few Indian firms producing oral posaconazole tablets.”