Mucormycosis-a Fungal Infection in Patient Recovered from COVID-19
Recently, a fungal disease, “Mucormycosis,” has created a huge fury in everybody’s mind. It is prevalent in immunocompromised individuals, such as people suffering from Covid 19, cancer, HIV, prolonged use of steroids, immunomodulators, and diabetes. It is caused by a group of molds called mucoromycetes found in damp soil, bread, decaying fruits and vegetables, compost piles, animal waste, and moist, dusty construction sites. It can invade the human body through several routes, such as inhalation, injury site, or food/water intake. The ICMR recommends wearing a mask while visiting dusty construction sites, wearing shoes, long trousers, a full sleeve shirt, and gloves when handling soils, moss, or manure, and maintaining personal hygiene, including a good scrub bath. This article further covers the history, pathogenesis, role of Iron, GRP78, and CotH, pathophysiology, geographical spread, and treatment of this rare but fatal disease. Overall, the mortality rates account for 54%, which is further varied depending upon the patient condition, type of fungus & body site infected, speaking of which, as reported, 96% mortality rate alone accounts for the disseminated Mucormycosis.