With the cases of coloured fungus coming up in COVID recovered patients, the AIIMS chief has now asked to identify the fungus by name, not colour.
AIIMS chief Dr. Randeep Guleria said that it is better not to use the term ‘black fungus’ for mucormycosis as it leads to a lot of confusion.
“Black fungus is another family; this term got associated with mucormycosis due to the presence of black dots among the culture of white fungal colonies. In general, there are various types of fungal infections such as candida, aspergillosis, cryptococcus, histoplasmosis, and coccidioidomycosis. Mucormycosis, candida and aspergillosis are the ones observed more in those with low immunity,” he told the media here.
“Fungal infection observed in Covid-19 patients is mostly mucormycosis. While the number of cases are increasing, it is not contagious or infectious like Covid,” he said.
Guleria also clarified that there is “no definite link between oxygen therapy and catching the infection as 90 to 95 per cent of mucormycosis patients are either diabetic and/or taking steroids”.
Dr Guleria said that the common symptoms of mucormycosis are one-sided facial swelling headaches, nasal or sinus congestion, black lesions on nasal bridge or upper inside of mouth.
“This infection is seen very rarely in those who are neither diabetic nor taking steroids,” he said.
He further also stated that among diabetic patients maintaining proper hygiene is very important since the of infection is high in them.