Abstract
The present review describes about the disease and the fungal agent in brief, and also stresses for establishment of mechanically ventilated hospital wards across the country. Second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in India has been complicated by high infection rate (R0), 600% jump in medical oxygen demand by COVID hospitals, and after all emergence of Mucormycosis since April-May 2021 leading to fatal complications. Mucormycosis is a very rare infection in humans. It is caused by exposure to mucor mould/ fungi which is commonly found in soil, plants, manure, and decaying fruits and vegetables. These Fungi belonging to the class Zygomycetes and order Mucorales often cause devastating angio-invasive infections, primarily in co-morbid and immunocompromised patients. The emergence of mucormycosis is being reported globally. In India, people with diabetes mellitus are highly susceptible to the disease. But during the second wave of Covid-19 in India, several cases of mucormycosis, also called the "black fungus" disease, have been reported among convalescing and convalescent COVID-19 patients across India with a mortality rate of 50%. More than 5000 cases of mucormycosis during the second wave of Covid-19, have been reported in about 21 states of the country, with Maharashtra and Gujarat states reporting highest number of cases (as on 21 May 2021). The infection has claimed over 120 lives so far, and has complicated recovery from Covid-19 in many more. The Indian Union health ministry has declared mucormycosis as a notified disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.
Highlights
Most fungi are saprophytic and not pathogenic to humans, animals and plants
Mucormycosis is caused by fungi belonging to the phylum Mucormycota and order Mucorales, which grow in all kinds of moist, decaying organic matter in the environment
Mucorales are pathogenic to both plants and humans
Summary
Most fungi are saprophytic and not pathogenic to humans, animals and plants. Fungi members of the genera Aspergillus, Fusarium, Alternaria, and Mucor are emerging pathogen in humans mostly in immunocompromised people. Fungal infections of the central nervous system (CNS) are on progressive rise in humans (Goralska et al, 2018) They have described causative fungal agents as Mucoromycetes (Mucor and Rhizopus species), dimorphic fungi (Blastomyces dermatitidis, Histoplasma capsulatum and Coccidioides species), dematiaceous fungi (Cladophialophora bantiana, Exophiala dermatitidis), Yeasts (Cryptococcus, Candida and Trichosporon species), and Moniliaceous fungi (Aspergillus and Fusarium species). Both Mucoromycetes and Moniliaceous fungi are filamentous; the former has non-septate hyphae, whereas the latter have septate hyphae. An insight in to overall picture of Mucormycosis and its causative agents are discussed in this review
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