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Research Paper | Health and Medical Sciences | India | Volume 12 Issue 2, February 2023

Risk Factors for Mucormycosis in COVID-19 Positive Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Central India: A Cross Sectional Study

Dr. Sanju D Gaikwad | Dr. Sneha Nakade ^[2] | Dr. Pragati Rathod | Dr. Uday Narlawar ^[5]

Abstract: Background: India is experiencing a detrimental surge of COVID-19 cases during its second wave. Along with COVID-19, India is also experiencing an outbreak of mucormycosis, a deadly fungal infection, which is affecting thousands of COVID-19 patients. Also known as black fungus, this disease is caused by opportunistic fungi in the Mucorales family, which is commonly found in the ecosystem and often associated with rotting organic matter. Humans can be infected by inhaling and consuming spores in food or drugs, or contaminating wounds with spore. This study aimed to determine the patient demographics, risk factors including comorbidities, and medications used to treat COVID-19. Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study conducted on 120 study subjects at a tertiary care hospital in Central India and the study subjects were all patients of more than 40 years age admitted in June and July 2021 months with mucormycosis in history of COVID-19 positive patients, and the data collected were analyzed using SPSS IBM version 21.0. Results: Study participants belonged to the age more than 40 years. Out of 120 participants 92 were Male and 28 were Female, with a mean age of 56.3 years. The major risk factors included steroid use (96.7%), diabetics 61.2% patients. Conclusions: Corticosteroids and DM are the most important predisposing factors in the development of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis. COVID-19 patients must be followed up beyond recovery.

Keywords: Black fungus, COVID-19, mucormycosis, pandemic, steroid

Edition: Volume 12 Issue 2, February 2023,

Pages: 176 - 179