Cerebro-rhino orbital mucormycosis: COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Mucormycosis, though not new to India, was not as rampant as it is at present. Health experts believe that the over-use of steroids, coupled with low immunity and immune suppression following COVID-19 recovery has made people more vulnerable to contracting the Black Fungus infection. States across India have begun declaring a “black fungus” epidemic as cases of the fatal rare infection shoot up in patients recovering from COVID-19. The fungal disease, called mucormycosis, has a 50% mortality rate. It affects patients initially in the nose but the fungus can then spread into the brain, and can often only be treated by anti-fungal drugs and major surgery removing the eye or part of skull and jaw.1 Rhino- orbital mucormycosis is surging very fast in post COVID patients and declared as epidemic in country on 20th May, 2021.