An Epidemiological Study on Mucormycosis Patients Admitted in Tertiary Care Hospital of Central India

Abstract

Introduction: The second wave of SAR Cov-2 Infection brought a new menace that was the escalation in thenumber of mucormycosis, which is a potentially life-threatening, opportunistic, invasive, fungal infectioncommonly called the “Black fungus”.Objective: To find out the factors responsible for occurrence of mucormycosis and the pattern that have emergedin the Post SARS – CoV-19 infected cases admitted in tertiary care hospital of Central India.Material and methods: This descriptive Cross-sectional study was conducted in Government Netaji SubhashChandra Bose Medical college and hospital of Central India from May 2021 to June 2021. 96 Confirmed cases ofmucormycosis were included in this study. The details about Demographical, Epidemiological, clinical data wereretrieved by us through interview with patient or his relative and by going through the case sheets of the cases.Results: The mean age for the mucormycosis was among male is 52.68 ±11.13 years and among female it is47.47±10.07years. 78% of study subjects were hospitalized for treatment while 22% received treatment at home.72.40% had steroid intake, Mean duration of steroid therapy was 10.15±5.71 days. Mean duration between steroidtherapy and appearance of mucormycosis as 14.21±9.1 while mean duration between Covid infection and mucormycosis was found to be 19.71±9.84 days.Conclusion: Immunosuppression during Covid -19 treatment had catalyst effect on the development ofmucormycosis. Early diagnosis and careful monitoring of immuno-compromised individuals is essential. Steroidand other immune- suppressive drugs should be given cautiously.