International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN: 2319-7064 SJIF (2020): 7.803 Volume 10 Issue 6, June 2021 www.ijsr.net Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY A Brief Review on Mucormycosis Lata Potey 1 , Dhanashri Tumme 2 , Dhanashree Wasu 2 1 Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy, G. H. Raisoni University, Saikheda, 480106, MP, India Corresponding Author E-mail: lata.potey[at]ghru.edu.in 2 School of Pharmacy, G. H. Raisoni University, Saikheda, 480106, MP, India Abstract: Across the country the COVID-19 cases continue to rise in an unproportional manner, and alarming the terror of a third wave exists. COVID-19 may not be the merely disaster we are at the risk of facing but hospitals across the country have been reported more than 200 cases of a mysterious infection called Mucormycosis (Black Fungus) affecting mostly COVID-19 patients. Mucormycosis is caused by a group of moulds called ‘mucormycetes’. It is present in the air and infection occurs when immunit y compromised patients inhales this impure air, which then spreads sinus cavities, lungs, and chest cavities. This review has been focused on symptoms, classification, causes and treatment therapies, diagnosis, and prevention of Mucormycosis. Keywords: Causes, COVID-19, Mucormycosis, Prevention, Symptoms, Treatment. 1. Introduction Mucormycosis (Black Fungus) is a typically highly deadly infection that occurs mainly in the patients with weak immunity.(Mark Tedder, 1994) The clinical manifestation usually related with mucormycosis are hematologic malignancies, renal failure, or diabetes mellitus. This disease also exist in rhinocerebral, pulmonary, disseminated, cutaneous (particularly burn wounds), and gastrointestinal mucormycosis.(Meyer RD, 1972) The increasing cases of mucormycosis in Covid-19 patients are widespread chiefly because of the increased use of steroids like dexamethasone, especially among diabetic patients. Not everyone is predisposed to the black fungus disease, but unchecked and unsupervised use of steroid therapies can often make matters worse even for non-risk patients. While it is not classified as an outbreak yet, the Indian Council for Medical Research, the government’s main research organization, has released a set of guidelines to spot and treat mucormycosis. 2. Types of Mucormycosis Rhinocerebral Mucormycosis: In these types of mucormycosis, fungi enter through the nose and first they infect the nasal sinuses after that they infect the brain. This is commonly occurs in patients with diabetes, Cancer, and patients who are recently underwent though transplantation. Rhinocerebral mucormycosis is also called zygomycosis, which is a uncommon disease caused by filamentous fungi concerning the nose, paranasal sinuses, and brain. It is caused by saprophytic fungi of the class Phycomycetes, order Mucorales, and the family Mucoraceae. These fungi include Mucor, Rhizopus, Absidia, Cunninghamella genera, and Apophysomyces elegans. Rhinocerebral form is the most frequent form of mucormycosis in the United State. The uncontrolled diabetes is the most common cause of mucormycosis in India. Pulmonary Mucormycosis: In these fungi infect the lungs of host. This is commonly associated with patients having blood cancer and patients who are recently underwent though transplantation. Pulmonary mucormycosis is the second most common type of this disease. It is an opportunistic angioinvasive fungal infection. Cutaneous Mucormycosis: In these types of mucormycosis fungi penetrate the skin through cracks, cuts, scrapes, grazes, and various skin trauma, this happens with patients having good immunity. Gastrointestinal Mucormycosis: In this type fungi attack GIT tract of the host and this occurs in children than adults, this is most prevalent in premature and low birth weight babies. Gastrointestinal mucormycosis is an extremely rare fungal infection caused by mold in the order Mucorales. It occurs predominantly in low birth weight infants, patients with diarrhea and malnutrition, and those receiving peritoneal dialysis; mortality is 85%. Prabudh Goe et al. reported the successful management of an immunocompetent child with gastrointestinal mucormycosis who responded to aggressive treatment with surgical debridement and antifungal agents (amphotericin B and colistin). The authos in this case study has concluded that the successful management of gastrointestinal mucormycosis requires a high index of suspicion, diagnostic evaluation and the prompt initiation of antifungal and surgical therapy.(Prabudh Goel, 2013) Disseminated Mucormycosis: This infection spreads all over the body through systemic circulation, so, affects brain and most of the vital organs like heart, spleen, and skin also get affected, this prevalence in neutropenic patients. Disseminated cutaneous mucormycosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis in all immunocompetent patients, particularly individuals with hematologic malignancies or a history of voriconazole (VRC) use, who present with cutaneous ulcerations and eschars.(Victoria S Humphrey, 2020) Symptoms and Causes of Mucormycosis: Symptoms of this disease are depends on the part of the body affected due to fungus, the symptoms reported in literature are fever, cough, chest pain, shortening in breath, sinus congestion, swelling on face, headache, belly pain, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, blood in stool, eyes infection, etc.(Pathak, 2021) Mucormycosis is caused by a group of Paper ID: SR21617194846 DOI: 10.21275/SR21617194846 1312