Mucormycosis Or Black Fungus Infection- Causes and Symptoms
Mucormycosis or black fungus is a rare fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes. Mucormycetes are present in the environment and they enter the human body either through artificial oxygen support that is given to severe COVID-19 patients or in some cases other environmental factors like use of contaminated water to produce medical oxygen. Use of certain combinations of steroids for treating COVID patients has also emerged to be one prominent reason as to why COVID survivors are complaining of black fungus. Patients with a low-immunity level or have compromising health conditions like diabetes, cancer or HIV, are more prone to the risk of getting caught with this infection.
Currently, this fungal infection has created much havoc nationwide, until much recently this was considered to be rare, but is now showing devastating effects.
Where Does Black Fungus Attack?
Mucormycetes enter the body through nose, mouth or eyes and directly attack the sinus cavities, chest cavities and lungs. If not treated in time, the infection can prove lethal and cause brain damage, ultimately causing demise of the infected. Unhygienic way of delivering oxygen to the patients, provides an entry point to the molds to enter the body. The infection is not contagious and does not spread from one person to another, unlike coronavirus.
Symptoms of Mucormycosis or Black Fungus
Black fungus, until recently, was a rare fungal infection, with only a few cases reported across the globe. But it has now emerged as a new catastrophe, which needs immediate treatment. Black fungus has a very high mortality rate hence, it is important to be cautious and look out for the symptoms, well on time. The infection majorly attacks parts of your face and can cause severe facial deformities. Medically, this is also referred to as “rhino-orbital-cerebral-mucormycosis”. The infection causes acute swelling and inflammation across the sinus passage. Other symptoms one should look out for are:
Formation of black crust around the nose: One most prominent symptom of black fungus is swelling and black crust formation around the nasal passage. If left untreated, the infection grows to take a more severe form, causing mutilation of a person’s nose and may even require surgery to fix the jaw bone or any other facial structure.
Swelling and Inflammation on cheeks and eyes: We might sometimes ignore any chronic swelling or inflammation around the eyes or cheeks, but in the current scenario, these could be symptoms of black fungus. Any sort of numbness, or inflammation on one side of the face should be immediately attended to. Patients these days are also complaining of necrosis-like symptoms, which could possibly be due to black fungal infection.
Chest pain or pulmonary infections: The infection causing molds enter through nasal passage or inhalation and can directly attack the respiratory passage and lungs. The noticeable symptoms would be nosebleeds, nasal blockage, numbness or loss of sensation across parts of the face. This is also referred to as pulmonary mucormycosis.
Acute headache: When the black fungus travels to the brain, it causes acute headaches, inflammation around the forehead and redness. This is the most severe stage where any ignorance or lack of treatment could lead to loss of memory, loss of cognitive functions or brain damage.
Partial/Complete loss of Vision: Black fungus can also partially or completely damage the vision, if it attacks the retinal nerves. If you experience any sort of redness, irritation or pain in the eye, immediately consult the doctor.
Prevention of Black Fungus
Since the primary cause noted for black fungal infection is unhygienic health conditions, it is important to maintain a strict level of cleanliness, especially if you are a person suffering from health comorbidities. Nasal care and good hygiene are the only ways by which you can keep the infection at bay. India witnesses a large population of diabetic patients, and studies claim that black fungal infection can severely and promptly attack those who have high sugar levels. Thus, it is advised to maintain your sugar levels and be aware of the symptoms, in order to start immediate treatment in case of infection.