Mucormycosis (black fungus) ensuing COVID-19 and comorbidity meets - Magnifying global pandemic grieve and catastrophe begins

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 805; p. 150355
• Main Authors: Pushparaj, Karthika, Kuchi Bhotla, Haripriya, Arumugam, Vijaya Anand, Pappusamy, Manikantan, Easwaran, Murugesh, Liu, Wen-Chao, Issara, Utthapon, Rengasamy, Kannan R.R., Meyyazhagan, Arun, Balasubramanian, Balamuralikrishnan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 20.01.2022
• Subjects: Comorbidity; COVID-19; COVID-19 induced Mucormycosis; Dexamethasone; Diagnosis; Fungi; Humans; Hyperglycemia; Ketosis; Mucormycosis - epidemiology; Pandemics; Review; SARS-CoV-2; Secondary infections; Secondary infections; Hyperglycemia; Dexamethasone; Comorbidity; Ketosis; Diagnosis; COVID-19 induced Mucormycosis
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150355

Post COVID-19, mucormycosis occurred after the SARS-CoV-2 has rampaged the human population and is a scorching problem among the pandemic globally, particularly among Asian countries. Invasive mucormycosis has been extensively reported from mild to severe COVID-19 survivors. The robust predisposing factor seems to be uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, comorbidity and immunosuppression acquired through steroid therapy. The prime susceptive reason for the increase of mucormycosis cases is elevated iron levels in the serum of the COVID survivors. A panoramic understanding of the infection has been elucidated based on clinical manifestation, genetic and non- genetic mechanisms of steroid drug administration, biochemical pathways and immune modulated receptor associations. This review lime-lights and addresses the “What”, “Why”, “How” and “When” about the COVID-19 associated mucormycosis (CAM) in a comprehensive manner with a pure intention to bring about awareness to the common public as the cases are inevitably and exponentially increasing in India and global countries as well. The article also unearthed the pathogenesis of mucormycosis and its association with the COVID-19 sequela, the plausible routes of entry, diagnosis and counter remedies to keep the infection at bay. Cohorts of case reports were analysed to spotlight the link between the pandemic COVID-19 and the nightmare-mucormycosis. [Display omitted] •Post-COVID-19 sepsis boosted by opportunistic black fungal infection called mucormycosis•Comorbidities and immunosuppression fuels mucormycosis in COVID-19 cases•Cascade of clinical snags are seen in grave cases and immune breaching leads to hostile fungal spread as infection•Dexamethasone and anti-IL drugs predispose COVID-19 cases to mucormycosis•Challenging diagnosis and counter prophylactic measures for fungal infections