What are Fungi?

1. Fungi (molds) are a group of living organisms which can cause various infections.
2. They are not animals, plants, or bacteria and have its own group with complex bodies.

What is Mucormycosis also known as "black fungus"?

1. Mucormycosis is potentially a serious but rare fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes
2. These fungi live throughout the environment, particularly in soil and in decaying organic matter, such as leaves, compost piles, or rotten wood.

How it spreads and affects Humans?

1. People can get mucormycosis by coming in contact with the fungal spores.
2. Fungal spores are small particles of fungus which are involved in the re-production (spread) of fungus. Spore scan resist high temperatures, humidity, and other environmental conditions.
3. For example, the lung or sinus type of the fungal infection can occur after someone breathes in spores.
4. Mucormycosis can also develop on the skin after the fungus enters the skin through a cut, scrape, burn, or other type of skin trauma.

Can Mucormycosis (Black Fungus) occurs in COVID19 Infection?

1. Mucormycosis usually occur in people who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness.
2. Recently there have been many cases reported from INDIA in patients who have COVID19 infection.

What are the Symptoms of Mucormycosis (Black Fungus) infection?

The symptoms depend on which organ or part of the body is affected. The various symptoms are as below:

1. Symptoms of SINUS AND BRAIN mucormycosis infection include:
1. One-sided facial swelling
2. Headache
3. Nasal or sinus congestion
4. Black lesions on nasal bridge or upper inside of mouth that quickly become more severe
5. Fever
2. Symptoms of pulmonary (lung) mucormycosis infection include:
1. Fever
2. Cough
3. Chest pain
4. Shortness of breath
3. Symptoms of Skin mucormycosis infection include:
1. Can look like blisters or ulcers, and the infected area may turn black.
2. Other symptoms include pain, warmth, excessive redness, or swelling around a wound
4. Symptoms of gastrointestinal(abdomen) mucormycosis infection include:
1. Abdominal pain
2. Nausea and vomiting
3. Gastrointestinal bleeding
5. Symptoms of Disseminated (severe Widespread) mucormycosis infection include:
1. Typically occurs in people who are already sick from other medical conditions, so it can be difficult to know which symptoms are related to mucormycosis. Patients with disseminated infection in the brain can develop mental status changes or coma.

Who is at risk of getting mucormycosis?

Certain groups of people are more likely to get mucormycosis, including people with:

1. Diabetes, especially with diabetic ketoacidosis
2. Cancer
3. Organ transplant
4. Stem cell transplant
5. Low number of white blood cells
6. Long-term corticosteroid use
7. Injection drug use
8. Too much iron in the body (iron overload or hemochromatosis)
9. Skin injury due to surgery, burns, or wounds
10. Prematurity and low birthweight (for neonatal gastrointestinal mucormycosis)

1. No. It cannot spread between people or between people and animals.

1. As mucormycosis spores are common in the environment It’s difficult to avoid breathing in fungal spores
2. It usually does not affect healthy people
3. It usually effects people who have Weakened Immune Systems, there may be some ways to lower the chances of developing mucormycosis.
4. Protect yourself from the environment
1. Try to avoid areas with a lot of dust like construction or excavation sites. If you can’t avoid these areas, wear an N95 respirator (a type of face mask) while you’re there
2. Avoid direct contact with water-damaged buildings and flood water after hurricanes and natural disasters.
3. Avoid activities that involve close contact to soil or dust, such as yard work or gardening.
4. Protective measures also include
1. Wear shoes, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt when doing outdoor activities such as gardening, yard work, or visiting wooded areas.
2. Wear gloves when handling materials such as soil, moss, or manure.
3. To reduce the chances of developing a skin infection, clean skin injuries well with soap and water, especially if they have been exposed to soil or dust.
5. Antifungal medication. If you are at high risk for developing mucormycosis (for example, if you’ve had an organ transplant or Stem cell transplant, your healthcare provider may prescribe medication to prevent mucormycosis and other mold infections.

No, currently no vaccine available but can be prevented by following preventing measures.

1. Healthcare providers consider your medical history, symptoms, physical examinations, and laboratory tests
2. Healthcare providers might collect a sample from your body to send to a laboratory.