Symptoms of mucormycosis | Black Fungus | White | Yellow Fungus

This fungus is very rare but it is known to be a very dangerous infection. As it is caused by molds called Mucormycetes and often affects the sinuses, lungs, skin, eyes, and brain.

Doctors believe Mucormycosis has an overall mortality rate of 50%, maybe triggered by steroids, a life-saving treatment for severe and critically ill Covid-19 patients. This fungus usually infects people with an impaired immune system, or with damaged tissue.

This is not a new disease, Fungal infections did happen before also. And they're happening now as well. The Fungal of this order is found almost everywhere like in soil, in your environment, decaying fruits, and vegetables, or your normal fruits and vegetables. This fungus is already there. So, it's called an environmental contaminant.

Symptoms of Mucormycosis

Black fungus Symptoms depend on the area of the body where the fungus is growing. If it is in the area of the sinus then you may get symptoms like

1. Toothache
2. HeadacheNasal or sinus congestion 
3. Black lesion on nasal bridge
4. Fever
5. Blur vision

• If your lungs get infected by this disease then the symptoms will be like

1. Fever
2. cough
3. chest pain
4. Bloody vomit or cough
5. Shortness of breath

• If your skin is infected like if you have a wound and if it gets infected, then the wound area will start turning black.

• If it starts from your stomach which is known as gastrointestinal mucormycosis, then you'll get symptoms like

1. Abdominal pain 
2. Nausea and vomiting
3. Gastrointestinal bleeding

It isn't that the fungus is really black-colored. Instead, it is the symptoms the nasal area starts looking black so, it is the reason why it is called a Black fungus. And then the infection can spread to the eyes and brain as well. It can cause blindness Headaches and Seizures as well.

• When people are very immunocompromised, then the progression time is less than a week. 

What happens to Diabetes Patient

It is seen that the Diabetes patient who has recovered from covid-19 are mostly suffering from this disease. Because during covid-19 the diabetic patient use steroid and if a diabetic patient starts using steroid the sugar level will be high. After stopping steroids it will be very difficult to maintain sugar level it takes time so, in between, you may suffer from black fungus. Normally, diabetic patients have a low immune system and if they suffer from Black fungus it will be very difficult to recover.

What happens to your eye during Black fungus?

The symptoms of Mucormycosis in the eye are similar to a fungal eye infection. Which is caused the symptoms like

1. Eye Pain
2. Redness
3. Blurred vision
4. Sensitivity of light
5. Excessive tearing
6. Eye discharge

If you have any of these symptoms then immediately contact your doctor.

Risk factor

This Mucormycosis fungus is normally found in a lot of places in our environment, and if it gets inside the body of a fit and healthy person then there will be no problem at all. They wouldn't even notice that they are suffering from fungus. But if the immune system of the person is compromised or weak then it will be dangerous. And there is much reason for the weakening of the immune system such as

1. Chemotherapy treatment for the cancer patients
2. Diabetes
3. overuse of steroids
4. Patient of covid-19
5. Other immunosuppressive medications

By taking the advantage of this, the fungus can get inside your body and make you infected.

How the infection spreads?

There are several ways of getting inside your body.

1. Through Air: When you breathe there are numerous spores of this fungus in the air and they enter your lungs and infect you.
2. Through Food: If you have spoiled food or have decaying fungus on it. It reaches your stomach and causes an infection.
3. Through Wounds: If the spores contaminated your wound.

But the most common way is through the air. they infect your lungs when you breathe them in. The area of the nose and the sinus are the most common areas where mucormycosis infection happens. And when the blood flow is restricted here the skin gets discolored often into a black colour. This is why it is called Black Fungus.

Diagnosis and Treatment

1. By looking at the symptoms, patient history, physical examination, and patient risk factors of getting infected by fungus.
2. It can be tested by Indus copy, MRI, or CT scan.
3. A blood test or serological doesn't help to diagnosis the fungus.

Treatment 

1. Anti-fungal
2. Surgery ( It is seen that the infected tissue is removed from the body.)

Prevention

• Keep your environment clean and hygenic.
• Don't use steroids without a doctor's prescription.
• Eat healthily 
• If you notice any of these symptoms then contact your doctor.

What about White and Yellow Fungus?

All these names: Black fungus, White fungus, and Yellow fungus are creating confusion. These diseases aren't of different types neither are they caused by different reasons all these diseases are because of fungus. And the reason for these infections is very similar, your weakened immune system. It is not even that the fungus is different colours. They are simply named based on the symptoms.

• As a symptom of Black fungus, the Nasal area becomes black in a patient.
• In White fungus, the patients see their tongue often becomes white or white patches are seen in their oral cavities and food pipes. Aspergillus is known as a White fungus. Allergic bronchopulmonary and Aspergillosis are the same. Second, ears and eyes may also get infected with it.

Written by Barsha Panth