Mucormycosis: A Lethal Phenomenon in COVID-19 Patients: A Review of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has seriously spread worldwide. One of the problems of COVID-19 patients is co-infection with other microbial infections such as fungal infections that are severely life-threatening. Mucormycosis, one of these opportunistic fungal diseases that is mistakenly known as black fungal disease, has been reported in Iran and the world. This non-systematic review is intended to review the latest studies in the world and Iran about the incidence of mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients to better understand the disease and its predisposing factors. In general, patients with COVID-19 with underlying diseases, diabetic patients, those treated with immunosuppressive drugs, ICU patients, and patients under invasive mechanical ventilation are at higher risk for mucormycosis. Therefore, early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention methods can be effective in reducing the risk of mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients.

Keywords

• fungal infection
• covid-19
• mucormycosis