Mucormycosis – India

Ninety-seven people have been infected by mucormycosis in Karnataka, India.

Four out of the ninety-seven infected have lost their lives due to the infection. Generally this infection is a post-COVID complication.

The government is requesting all hospitals to report confirmed cases of mucormycosis to the sate health department.

Please consider donating, to keep our safety stocks of Amphotericin B for treating this complication supplied. We send these when healthcare facilities run out. Shortages of this drug are bound to happen and mean death and amputations for those infected.

Photo: Mucor fungus species.

Mucormycosis is a fungal infection. Generally, species in the Mucor, Rhizopus, Absidia, and Cunninghamella genera are most often implicated.

Common sources of infections are from soil and damp walls on old buildings.

It can infect the sinuses and brain, lungs, skin and digestive tract. The infection in some cases also spreads through the bloodstream where it can result in the formation of blood clots and tissue death in the surrounding areas.

Mostly mucormycosis occurs with underlying conditions such as diabetes, HIV, lymphomas kidney failure and immunosuppressive therapy. However, in some cases infection is reported without any predisposing factors present.

It has been reported in association with COVID-19 and may be caused by treatment with corticosteroids.

It is a very rare infection. Hospital outbreaks are a risk where infection can spread through contaminated hospital linen.

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