Incidence and Screening for Rhino-Cerebral Mucormycosis and other Fungal Infections in Patients with COVID-19
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Abstract
Background & Objectives: Mucormycosis is a fungal infection which mainly affects immunocompromised patients and the cases showed an upward trend coinciding with the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in India. Considering the poor prognosis of established mucormycosis cases, it is worthwhile to identify them at earliest within COVID-19 patients. The objective of this study was to monitor COVID-19 patients prospectively for mucor spp.. and other fungal infections via detailed microbiological analysis of their nasal wash samples. Materials and
Methods: COVID-19 patients were called upon at every week interval for one month after their COVID-19 infection and their nasal wash samples were subjected to KOH mount, Gram staining, Calcofluor white staining, SDA culture and LPCB mount. Results: A total of 297 samples were derived from 90 patients. 16(5.3%) were positive for fungal elements in KOH and calcofluor staining. Culture of samples on SDA agar showed that 13(4.3%) samples had Mucor spp. All 13 patients were hyperglycemic during their course of COVID-19. Conclusions: Around 4.3% nasal wash samples of COVID-19 immunocompromised patients taken within two weeks of COVID-19 infection demonstrated definite growth for mucor spp.. These patients could be closely monitored for mucormycosis symptoms/complications and timely interventions could be provided therein.