Everything You Need To Know About Black Fungus
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In India, around five states have declared a deadly fungal infection as an epidemic, due to the fast pace spread of the infection among the recovered COVID-19 patients.
This fungal infection is called the Black Fungus and is targeting hundreds of people who have fought the battle of coronavirus and have recovered successfully. This infection spread has a very high mortality rate with larger risks and is getting linked with the overuse of steroids among coronavirus patients.
What Is Black Fungus?
Mucormycosis of the black fungus is a fungal infection that affects the nose, eyes, mouth, and brain of the patient. It is not contagious and cannot spread from one person to the other.
This fungal infection is caused due to the presence of the fungus molds or spores known as micromycetes, which are present in the environment, soil, water, decaying matter, and moisture. According to the doctors, the presence of moisture triggers the fungus to affect our body parts.
Who Is at Risk of Contracting Black Fungus?
According to the cases reported, the recovered patients of COVID-19 who have undergone ICU treatment where humidifiers were used for them and the patients who have overused steroids and drugs during their treatment, are at a huge risk of getting contracted with this infection.
The main cause of this infection is the presence of moisture, therefore, dirty humidifiers in the ICU make the patients more vulnerable to be attacked by the fungus post their recovery. Also, people who are immunocompromised or in simple terms, have low immunity, have the risk of being affected by the fungus.
Being in the intensive care unit exposes the respiratory system to a lot of moisture, which serves as a replicating base for the fungus and they grow in these body parts causing immense damage to the system. People who are healthy or have good natural immunity will fight off the fungal infection. As the days pass, fresh cases of black fungus are being reported in various states of our country and turning into a huge concern. Many people are holding the hospitals responsible for using dirty humidifiers, as it one of the causes of the infection.
Early Signs And Effects of Black Fungus
Certain physical symptoms mark the onset of the fungal infection. Therefore it is necessary that you recognize these symptoms and seek immediate medical care. The symptoms of black fungus include:
- Headache
- Swelling
- Black lesions
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Chest pain
- Cough
Black fungus has a very high mortality rate and people getting contracted to this are losing their lives. There are also cases where the fungus affects a particular organ of the body. In such cases, the affected body organ is surgically removed, to avoid the fungus from spreading in the body. This is making many people disable and lose their nose, jaw, eyes, etc. Severe cases like fungal infection in the brain and lungs resulting in the death of the individual.
Cure For Black Fungus
Amphotericin-B is the only vaccine that can help the spread of the black fungus infection. Around 3-4 doses of this injection are given to the patient throughout the day, which is creating a scarcity of medicine in the country.
To avoid getting in contact with this fungus, stay away from any kind of decaying matter that might consist of moisture, as it will result in the reaction of the spores of Mucormycetes with your body.
Conclusion
While taking COVID-19 treatment in the hospitals make sure that the humidifiers are clean and the environment that the patient is prone to be also sanitized. Avoid the overuse of steroids and maintain blood sugar levels.
If you report any of the symptoms mentioned above, immediately consult the doctor and get the standard tests done.
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Can I Get The COVID-19 Vaccine While I Am Still Infected/ COVID-19 Positive?
Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.
