ICMR releases diagnosis and management guidelines for COVID-19-associated Mucormycosis
The correlation between COVID-19 and Mucormycosis isn't surprising, as the biggest risk factors are uncontrolled diabetes and immune suppressant steroids.
A health worker tries to adjust the oxygen mask of a COVID-19 patient at the BKC field hospital in Mumbai, India, Thursday, May 6, 2021.(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)[/caption]She added that the correlation between COVID-19 and Mucormycosis isn't surprising, as the biggest risk factors for the black fungus infection are uncontrolled diabetes, and steroids, which are known to suppress immunity but are also being used to treat COVID-19 patients.To eliminate this infection, it is important to quickly diagnose the patient as it can be aggressive and life-threatening. It affects the sinuses, eyes and can even spread to the brain. If it affects the eyes, the patient may have to undergo evisceration (disembowelment of the eye), in spite of treatment. A patient is given a combination therapy of antifungal medication and cerebral or surgical debridement.You could have Mucormycosis if you experience a blackish or bloody discharge from your nose, pain in your cheekbones or pain/numbness/swelling on your face; toothache, chest pain and blurred vision are some of the other Mucormycosis symptoms.
What are the symptoms?
- Pain and redness around eyes and/or nose
- Fever
- Headache
- Coughing
- Shortness of breath
- Blood in vomit
- Altered mental status
Who is most at risk?
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Immunosuppression by steroids
- Prolonged ICU stay
- Comorbidities post-transplant/malignancy
- Kidney disease
- Cancer
- Heart disease
How to prevent the infection
- Use a mask if visiting a dusty construction site
- Wear shoes, long trousers, long sleeve shirts and gloves while handling soil.
- Maintain personal hygiene
ICMR's things to-do
- Control hyperglycemia
- Monitor blood glucose level post-COVID-19 discharge
- Use steroids judiciously - correct timing, dose and duration
- Use clean, sterile water for humidifiers during oxygen therapy
- Use antibiotics/antifungals judiciously
ICMR's things not-to-do
- Do not miss warning signs and symptoms
- Do not consider all cases with blocked nose to be bacterial sinusitis, especially in the context of immunosuppressors and/or COVID-19 patients on immunomodulators
- Do not hesitate to seek aggressive interventions
- Tests like KOH staining, microscopy, culture, MALDI-TOF can be done to detect fungal aetiology
- Don’t lose crucial time by hesitating to initiate treatment
India rejects Pakistan's 'baseless' claims at Asean, says Indus Waters Treaty to remain on hold
India successfully tests long-range 'Kusha' air defence missile system
Indian trucker arrested in US over alleged theft of $3 million worth of tungsten powder
China has dominated Myanmar’s rare earth mines — now India eyes deal to harness country’s critical minerals
CJP protest in Delhi: New videos of stone pelting, violence emerge as police, agitators trade charges