A SURVEY ON RHINO - ORBITAL - CEREBRAL MUCORMYCOSIS PATIENTS - A POST COVID OCCURRENCE IN TERTIARY HOSPITAL

With increasing case reports of Rhino - Orbital - Cerebral Mucormycosis, a secondary infection to Post COVID condition, the present study aimed to find the occurrence of Mucormycosis across various age groups, its presence among vaccinated population, relation between hyperglycemia and mucormycosis, site of involvement of nasal/ sinus mucormycosis and the Culture based genus classification of fungal Mucormycosis. A total number of 250 patients diagnosed with either Confirmed/ Suspected Mucormycosis, a Post COVID infection were included in the study. For all the patients, their demographic data, comorbities, vaccination details, imaging findings and follow up information were obtained and statistically analyzed for the study. The results show that: a) A major of 36.4% of mucormycosis patients were found between the age range of 51 - 60 years. B) Vaccinated population is less vulnerable to COVID and its secondary infection - Mucormycosis. C) Site of involvement of Nasal/ Sinus Mucormycosis is found as a Combined Maxillary+Ethmoid+orbit involvement in 80.8% followed by Ehtmoidal involvement and palatal involvement. D) Presence of diabetes mellitus was present among 93.2% of the participants and E) The genus classification shows the occurrence of Rhizopus Arrhizus was the cause for mucormycosis found in many of the culture based fungal infection among the Post COVID patients involved in the study. The study concludes that patients treated for COVID in the age group of 30 years to 70 years are more vulnerable to acquire Mucormycosis. Glycemic control among the COVID treatment patients will grossly prevent the occurrence of Mucormycosis infection.