TIRUCHI
Tiruchi district has six suspected cases of mucormycosis, according to Collector S. Sivarasu.
Samples have been lifted and sent to a laboratory for testing and results are awaited, he said. Meanwhile, doctors have cautioned patients, especially those who have recovered from COVID-19 to keep an eye and alert a doctor in case of pain in the nasal passage.
Mucormycosis, a now vilified infection, can be detected early and can be fully treated, experts say. Fatalities occur when symptoms are ignored, they say.
However, fear-mongering too, has created a problem for healthcare workers, Arun Prabhu Ganeshan G., ENT specialist at Apollo Hospitals told The Hindu . "There are patients who come to us with sinusitis but are afraid it might be mucormycosis," he said.
Dr. Arun said that in his experience, the disease was not fatal, but the fear of it caused further complications. Mucormycosis was an invasive, opportunistic infection that feeds on moisture. However, it was too early to draw conclusions and blame steroids for the development of the infection, he said.
Dr. Arun warned that the primary site of infection is the nose, just like COVID-19. "Mucor cuts down blood supply and is therefore harmful, however, surgery and anti-fungal medications can help cure it, provided that it is detected early," he said.
Doctors recommend that patients keep in touch with an ENT doctor or a dentist who can monitor a patient's condition regularly. While there have been reports of shortage in Liposomal Amphotericin-B, an antifungal intravenous medication, doctors also say that there are alternatives including oral drugs. "We do not want Amphotericin-B to become the next Remdesivir. To avoid it, doctors must prescribe other alternatives," a doctor said.
