POST COVID EFFECTS OF BLACK FUNGUS MUCORMYCOSIS: A REVIEW

Mucormycosis is a disease caused by the fungi belonging to the order mucorales which affects mainly the immunocompromised patients. These fungi are mainly found in soil and in the decomposition of plants and animals from which the sporangiospores are released in the air which are then inhaled resulting in infection based on the host resistance. The cases are increasing in conditions with malnutrition, diabetes, steroid therapy and acidosis. After aspergillosis and candidiasis, mucormycosis is the third most common invasive fungal infection.The common genera that has been identified include mucor, rhizopus, Rhizomucor, Absidia, Apophysomyces, Cunninghamella and sakhsanaea. Five major forms of infection include rhino-orbito-cerebral, pulmonary, disseminated, cutaneous and gastrointestinal.There is a difference in epidemiology of mucormycosis between developed and developing countries. In developed countries even though the disease is uncommon, they are found in patients with diabetes mellitus and hematological malignancies undergoing chemotherapy. While in developing countries they are seen in patients withdiabetes and trauma.