KUALA LUMPUR – Out of the frying pan, into the fire – that is how one can describe India’s fight against the deadly “black fungus”, an infection currently spreading among Covid-19 patients.
However, a more life-threatening danger has surfaced in the form of the “white fungus”, which has created chaos among recovering coronavirus patients in the past two days.
India’s hospitals are racing to stock up on the supply of the life-saving Amphotericin B jabs to deal with black fungus cases.
Authorities said black fungus is a rare disease, normally. However, thousands have been infected by mucormycosis across India, as the South Asian nation battles a Covid-19 wave that has killed more than 100,000 people in the past month.
Some doctors said the high use of steroids to combat the coronavirus pandemic has caused the black fungus explosion.
The disease kills more than 50% of sufferers within days. In some cases, eyes and upper jaws are removed by surgeons to stop the spread of the infection.
Meanwhile, the white fungus is infecting Covid-19 patients in the eastern state of Bihar.
Virologist Prof Sunil K. Lal told The Vibes: “A white fungus infection is even more malevolent than a black fungus one as it not only affects the lungs, but also other body parts, including skin and nails, as well as the brain, mouth, stomach, kidney and private parts.”
Similar to black fungus, he added, white fungus also infects Covid-19 patients with weak immune systems due to cancer or diabetes, and those who are on long-term steroid treatment.
The Monash University Malaysia academic said both the black and white fungus infections (candidiasis, an infection caused by the Candida fungus) are life-threatening, and can happen in any country as they are ubiquitous and predominant in soil.
“These infections are currently reported in India due to the large number of Covid-19 recovering patients who are diabetic and have undergone steroid therapy, resulting in a weakened immune system.
“In such situations, opportunistic infections, such as mucormycosis and white fungus, can invade the body.”
Children, women more susceptible to white fungus
“In women, this (white fungus infection) can result in leucorrhoea – a thick, whitish or yellowish vaginal discharge.
“During pre-Covid-19 days, mucormycosis was prevalent in transplant patients and intensive care unit settings, but overall, it was quite rare among immunodeficient patients.
“These fungal spores exist in the environment and can enter the human body via a break in the skin caused by any kind of burn, cut or wound.” – The Vibes, May 24, 2021
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