Explained: Green fungus, also known as Aspergillosis is an infection caused by a common mold (a type of fungus) that lives indoors and outdoors.
Amidst the cases of black fungus, also known as mucormycosis, being reported in India, now the first ever green fungus case has been detected in the country. Soon after the first case of green fungus infection was diagnosed in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, doctors have started working on the details of the fungus variant. However, more research is needed on whether the nature of green fungus infection in people who have recovered from Covid-19 is different from other patients.
What is green fungus?
Green fungus, also known as Aspergillosis is an infection caused by a common mold (a type of fungus) that lives indoors and outdoors. Most people breathe in Aspergillus spores every day without getting sick. It may cause nose bleeding and high fever.
According to Dr Ravis Dosi, it is also suspected that green fungus causes severe weight loss and weakness.
The first green fungus case in Indore
A 34-year-old Covid-19 survivor was diagnosed with green fungus infection in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore and shifted to Mumbai by air ambulance for treatment, PTI quoted a senior doctor on Tuesday.
Dr Ravi Dosi, head of the Department of Chest Diseases, Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences (SAIMS) said that the man, who had recovered from Covid-19, underwent a test on the suspicion that he had contracted the dreaded black fungus infection (mucormycosis).
But he was instead found to have green fungus (Aspergillosis) infection in his sinuses, lungs and blood.
What are the types of green fungus?
As mentioned above, aspergillosis is caused by a type of mold called Aspergillus fumigatus. There are approximately 180 species of Aspergillus, but fewer than 40 of them are known to cause infections in humans. Aspergillus fumigatus is the most common cause of human Aspergillus infections. However, different types of aspergillosis have different symptoms.
Where does it comes from?
It exist both indoors and outdoors, so most people breathe in fungal spores every day.
How does it spread?
For people with healthy immune systems, breathing in Aspergillus isn't harmful. However, for people who have weakened immune systems, breathing in Aspergillus spores can cause an infection in the lungs or sinuses which can spread to other parts of the body. If invasive aspergillosis goes untreated, it can cause infectious pneumonia.
What causes Aspergillosis?
Symptoms:
Other symptoms:
Is it contagious?
Aspergillosis is not contagious and cannot be transmitted from one person to another.