By: Lifestyle Desk Written by Lifestyle Desk, with input from Lifestyle Desk | New Delhi |
June 12, 2021 9:10:57 am
Diabetes and the use of steroid therapy in conjunction with COVID-19 lead to impaired immune defenses in the body; This enables some universally occurring organisms to become dangerous. “Mucormycosis is one such opportunistic infection caused by some common fungi that belong to the Mucorales group. In addition to this ‘black fungus’, a much rarer ‘white fungus’ and an even rarer but more serious ‘yellow fungus’ have been observed, ”said Dr. Ashok Kumar Das, Professor of Medicine and Professor and Head of Endocrinology, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Science.
He explained that some patients with COVID-19 can develop mucormycosis, especially against the background of high blood sugar levels. “It can occur in areas such as the ear, nose, throat, face, eyes, brain and lungs and has a rapidly progressing course that requires urgent care. Patients with uncontrolled diabetes and / or use of high dose steroids and other immunocompromised conditions are particularly susceptible, ”said Dr. That opposite indianexpress.com
In this context, let’s consider the principles of diabetes care:
Keep blood sugar levels under control: A key aspect of tackling the risk of mucormycosis after COVID-19 is ensuring sustained blood sugar control over time, supported by healthy weight management habits, exercise, diet control, stress management, medication compliance, and regular checkups.
Avoid Indiscriminate Use of Steroids: COVID-19 affects blood sugar control in a number of ways, including using steroid therapy. Adequate and sensible steroid therapy as recommended by a doctor is of the utmost importance. Mild to moderate cases do not require steroid therapy; attending physicians administer these when the oxygen saturation drops.
Ensure an optimal level of personal hygiene: These fungi are found in our environment, in houses, in the ground, over rotting rusted iron and zinc material. However, people will not get an infection unless they are immunocompromised. This requires the need to maintain general personal hygiene by keeping masks clean and dry, ensuring a tidy environment, and adequately covering oneself when handling soil or manure.
Be careful with the occurrence: A critical aspect of mucormycosis is the rapidity of its progression. Within 1-2 days, the infection can spread from the nose to the eyes and brain, which can lead to serious consequences. For timely action, it is important to suspect the possibility of this infection if there is pain and redness around the eyes or nose, sinusitis, fever, headache, blurred vision, blackish or bloody nasal discharge.
Prevention and treatment of infections
To avoid the risk of mucormycosis, medical advice on higher levels of antibiotics, steroids, and oxygen therapy must be followed with the utmost care. The importance of the preventive measures described above cannot be emphasized enough. If the infection occurs, the most appropriate treatment is surgery (with an ENT surgeon and an eye surgeon) and the antifungal drug “Amphotericin-B” for 4-6 weeks. In my own experience, with an early diagnosis of mucormycosis and using amphotericin-B along with surgery as needed, results can be significantly better. Early suspicion and diagnosis of mucormycosis are key to improving disease outcomes.
Build resilience: “Survival of the Fittest” is at the heart of biological evolution. As we move forward through this pandemic, fitness remains the key to achieving better health outcomes. Prevention is better than cure on all levels. With that understanding, we want to commit to following healthy practices to manage this “syndemia” – a synergistic pandemic of COVID-19 and diabetes.
