MGM Journal of Medical Sciences (Jan 2022)

Mucormycosis in patients with COVID-19: A descriptive study at a tertiary care hospital in North Maharashtra

  • Ganesh Shrihari Lokhande,
  • Yogita Gopal Bavaskar,
  • Vilas Raghunath Malkar,
  • Jaiprakash Ramanand,
  • Jitendra Bhaskar Surwade,
  • Daniel Arun Saji,
  • Sandeep Suryawanshi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/mgmj.mgmj_65_21
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 72 – 76

Abstract

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Introduction: 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) first reported in Wuhan, in China, rapidly spread to other parts of the world forming a global pandemic. Secondary fungal or bacterial infections or coinfections are important challenges increasing the patients’ morbidity and mortality in COVID infection patients. The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to increases in the cases of mucormycosis in India; rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis is considered the most common type of mucormycosis, which is acquired by inhaling fungal spores in the paranasal sinuses. Objectives: The aims of this study were to assess the clinical and demographic profile of the patient with mucormycosis admitted to Government Medical College, Jalgaon and to identify the risk factors observed in the admitted patient with mucormycosis. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among the patients admitted for the treatment of mucormycosis in Government Medical College and Hospital, Jalgaon, Maharashtra. A total of 91 patients admitted from April 15, 2021 to June 15, 2021 were enrolled as study participants. Result: More than half of the study participants were having complaints of swelling and pain over the cheek and face at the time of admission, whereas 20% were having pain in the nose, growth/swelling, and discharge from nose followed by toothache and loss of teeth in 13% of the study participants. More than 50% of patients were diabetic and 91% have a history of steroid use for the treatment of COVID-19. 57% of the study participants were having a history of diabetes. Conclusion: The physician should be more attentive for mucormycosis among the post-COVID-19 patients with diabetes patients and/or presenting with pain in the facial or orbital region or blackish or bloody nasal discharge.

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