ISSN: 2642-6250
Authors: Suresh K*
The years 2020 & 2021 will go in the history of World Public Health as the year of Covid 19 Pandemic. So will the Invasive fungal infections (IFI) complicating Covid 19 patients during and after recovery due to Black, White and Yellow Fungi are engraved in Indian Public Health history. IFI became a leading cause of vision or eye loss, facial disfigurement, and Pulmonary and other organ infections. Union Health Minister, GOI, reported to the Parliament on 3 December 2021 that a total of 51,775 cases of mucor mycosis have been reported in the country till 29/11/2021 but did not give the breakup of while fungus among them indicating lack of reporting and monitoring of sub-varieties of fungal infections. Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is an important complication in immunocompromised patients. The frequency of IFD has increased in correlation with growth in populations of cancer, immunocompromised hosts, and patients with HIV infection, organ transplantation and autoimmune diseases. In India, the rare fungal infection occurred among organ transplant cases. Even before Covid 19 Pandemic it disproportionately affected Indian patients, with the prevalence of the infection about 70 times higher in India than the rest of the world. Several cases of Mucor mycosis, aspergillosis, and candidiasis, linked to immunosuppressive treatment for COVID-19 were reported during the COVID-19 pandemic in India in 2020 and 2021. The number of cases has increased a lot that has led to prolonged morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 patients during illness and up to 3 months after recovery. The cases of White Fungus or Aspergillosis were detected in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh starting mid-May 2021 in India. Fortunately, they are amenable to medical treatment and cause minimal damage and fatality. This article is an analysis of cases of Invasive white Fungus Infections reported in the country. Material & Methods: GOI reports on IFI to the Parliament, Local hospital press releases in metropolitan and major cities.
Keywords: SARS-Cov-2; Covid 19-Cases; Covid 19 Long Cases; Invasive Fungal Infections; Mucor Mycosis, Candidiasis; Aspergillosis; Cryptococcosis
