All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is going to develop guidelines to treat black fungus, also known as Mucormycosis. Several cases of black fungus are reported in India including Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Bihar.

According to the Union health ministry, Mucormycosis or black fungus is a complication that is caused by a fungal infection. People are getting contracted with mucormycosis by contact with the fungal spores spread in the environment. It can also develop on the skin as the fungus can enter the skin through a cut, burn, scrape or other type of skin trauma.

At present, this fungal infection is detected among patients recovered or recovering from COVID-19. Besides, any patient who has recovered from COVID-19 and is a diabetic and whose immune system is weak should be alert and careful against this, as per the ministry.

The disease is caused by a set of micro-organisms, also known as mucormycetes, present naturally in the environment and are mostly seen in soil and in decaying organic matter such as leaves, compost and piles.

The ministry also stated that the treatment of COVID-19 patients includes intake of drugs such as dexamethasone suppressing the immune system response. Because of these factors, COVID-19 patients can face a new risk of black fungus infection by these mucormycetes and can worsen their condition.

Source: ET Healthworld