Mucormycosis can spread to brain, says AIIMS director

The Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences AIIMS in New Delhi Randeep Guleria said on Monday that Mucormycosis a fungal infection also known as lsquoblack fungus can infect the lungs eyes and the gastrointestinal tract and can even spread to the brainMucormycosis is a rare fungal infection which is being detected quite frequently in Covid19 patients across the country for the past few weeksGuleria said that three type of fungal infections are found in patients with high diabetes and steroid doses Candida Aspergillosis and MucormycosisMucormycosis can be categorised depending on which organ is attacked by it he said adding that signs and symptoms of the infection also vary depending on the affected body partThe Rhino orbital cerebral Mucormycosis infects the nose orbit of eyeeye socket oral cavity and can even spread to the brain The symptoms include headache nasal congestion nasal discharge green colour pain in sinus bleeding nose swelling on face lack of sensation on face and skin discolourationAlso ReadAfter black and white now Yellow Fungus reported in UPrsquos GhaziabadThe Pulmonary Mucormycosis affects the lungs It causes fever chest pain cough and coughing of blood The fungus can also infect the gastrointestinal tract Guleria saidThe Candida fungal infection can manifest with symptoms such as white patches in the mouth tongue and oral cavities it can infect the private parts and can also be found in the blood in which case it can become seriousAspergillosis which is relatively uncommon affects and invades the lungs by creating cavities in the lungs What is observed during the pandemic is mostly Mucormycosis Aspergillosis is observed occasionally while Candida in found in some people the AIIMS Director notedSpeaking about the highrisk category of people who are being infected by Mucormycosis Gularia said 9095 per cent of patients getting infected by Mucormycosis are found to have been either diabetic andor taking steroids This infection is seen very rarely in those who are neither diabetic nor taking steroidsGuleria also said that Covid19 positive patients who have uncontrolled diabetes and use steroids should immediately report to the doctorsIf the warning signs for Mucormycosis such as headache rusting or bleeding from nose swelling below the eye lowering of facial sensation are observed in highrisk patients or those taking steroids they need to inform to doctors so that early diagnosis and treatment can be given Guleria saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever