Clinical Study of Surge of Mucormycosis in COVID-19 Pandemic: A Tertiary Care Center Study

Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022 Oct;74(Suppl 2):3455-3462. doi: 10.1007/s12070-021-02784-6. Epub 2021 Aug 4.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence, pathogenesis and management of mucormycosis in post covid 19 patients in our tertiary care covid dedicated hospital. A prospective cross sectional study was done in 70 patients who were admitted in the covid department of BJ Medical College, Civil hospital Ahmedabad and presented with mucormycosis during admission or after discharge over a period of 10 months from March 2020 to December 2020. Middle aged to elderly population were found to be most commonly affected with mucormycosis. It was found that majority of the affected population was uncontrolled diabeteic and had a delayed presentation to hospital due to ongoing covid pandemic crisis. Covid infection had major effect on the hormonal balance of the body as evident from the uncontrolled blood glucose levels of affected patients. In patients with mucormycosis, early detection, surgical debridement, suitable antifungal therapy, and control of risk factors like diabetes mellitus are the main parameters of successful management of this lethal infection. Early diagnosis and treatment of mucormycosis can be life saving as it is a rapidly progressing disease and have been proven fatal.

Keywords: Amphoterecin B; COVID 19; Debridement; Diabetes mellitus; Fungal; Immunocompromised; Modified denker; Mucormycosis; Open maxillectomy; Palatal erosion.