Even as coronavirus infections rapidly fall across the country, the number of black fungus infections seems to remain constant, leaving health officials concerned.
While black fungus infection was reported even before the pandemic, the number of cases witnessed a sharp and unprecedented spike during the peak of the second wave of the virus.
Black fungus infection also known as mucormycosis is caused by fungus Mucor and is known to affect the lungs of Covid patients or those who have recently recovered from the virus. People can contract the fungus by inhaling its spores present in the environment or by touching contaminated substances.
While mucormycosis’ impact on the lungs is well known, recent cases in Madhya Pradesh indicate that the fungus can affect the intestines, pancreas and the brain as well.
In the last one week, black fungus infection was found in the intestine and pancreas of two patients, who had recovered from Covid-19 in the last month, said Dr Ajay Jain, head of the gastroenterology department at charitable Choithram Hospital.
“Among the infected patients is a 62-year-old man who came to us with a complaint of intestinal problems. When we operated on him, we found that a three-feet-long part of the small intestine was badly affected and we removed it. On examination, we found that it had been infected with black fungus,” Dr Jain said.
In the second case, a patient complained of passing blood in motions and following a surgery, it was found that black fungus had infected his pancreas, he added.
Pulmonologist Dr Ravi Dosi of Shri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences (SAIMS) said, “Black fungus was detected in the stomach of two patients, while in eight other cases it was found in the lungs. This new problem is reported in the patients who recovered from the Covid-19.”
According to officials, at present more than 500 patients suffering from mucormycosis are undergoing treatment at hospitals in Indore.
(With PTI inputs)
