Covid-19 patients in India are developing black fungus infections which can lead to blindness May 11, 2021, 06:42 AM
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Some hospitals in India have seen a rise in mucormycosis, a life-threatening infection known as black fungus.
Experts say steroids used to treat Covid-19 may be linked fuelling the uptick by dampening patients immune systems.
One doctor in Mumbai said 11 of his patients have required life-saving eye removal surgery.
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In the wake of India s second wave of Covid-19, hospitals are reporting an uptick in cases of mucormycosis or black fungus , a serious but rare fungal infection.
Dr. Akshay Nair, an eye surgeon who works at three hospitals in Mumbai, India, told the BBC he saw at least 40 patients with the fungal infection in April alone.
Hospitals in India have seen a rise in cases of mucormycosis, a life-threatening infection.
Experts have linked steroids that treat COVID-19 to the uptick since they dampen the immune system.
One doctor in Mumbai said 11 of his patients had required life-saving eye-removal surgery.
In the wake of India s second wave of COVID-19, hospitals are reporting an uptick in cases of mucormycosis, or black fungus a serious but rare fungal infection.
Dr. Akshay Nair, an eye surgeon who works at three hospitals in Mumbai, told the BBC he saw at least 40 patients with the fungal infection in April alone.
That s a huge uptick from the average number: He said he had seen only 10 cases of mucormycosis in the prior two years.
COVID-19 patients in India are developing deadly black fungus infections that can lead to blindness Ksandoval@businessinsider.com (Kelsie Sandoval)
Hospitals in India have seen a rise in cases of mucormycosis, a life-threatening infection.
Experts have linked steroids that treat COVID-19 to the uptick since they dampen the immune system.
One doctor in Mumbai said 11 of his patients had required life-saving eye-removal surgery.
In the wake of India s second wave of COVID-19, hospitals are reporting an uptick in cases of mucormycosis, or black fungus - a serious but rare fungal infection.
Dr. Akshay Nair, an eye surgeon who works at three hospitals in Mumbai, told the BBC he saw at least 40 patients with the fungal infection in April alone.
Indian COVID-19 patients start developing deadly black fungus infections
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If you thought things couldn t get any worse for India s ongoing COVID-19 battle, you re wrong.
A number of COVID-19 patients in India have been diagnosed with mucormycosis – a scary and potentially-deadly fungal that can affect a number of organs once contracted.
The disease is also known as black fungus , and is caused by mucormycetes – a class of mold that can be found growing in soil and decaying organic matter such as decomposing vegetation, manure, and rotting fruits. But also, the fungus can even be found in the nose and mucus of healthy people who unknowingly breathe it in.
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India’s health officials warned the country’s doctors to be on the lookout for mucormycosis, or so-called black fungus infections among coronavirus patients, particularly those with diabetes. The infection, which could be fatal, may cause black discoloration of the nose, facial pain, numbing or swelling, fever, chest pain or other issues.
The infection, which is caused by a group of molds that live in the environment, most commonly affects the sinuses or lungs after inhaling fungal spores, but can also occur on the skin after a cut, burn or other injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).