what is black fungal disease

Black fungus infection or Mucormycosis is a serious disease but rare fungal infection, it can become fatal. 50-80% of patients could die with it if not diagnosed and treated quickly at early stages. This usually occur in people when the immune system has been affected by Coronavirus (COVID-19), viral diseases, immunodeficiency disorders, cancers, chronic diseases, other medical conditions or people take medicines that suppress the immune system to fight illness.

Mucormycosis caused by fungi mucormycetes and molds belonging to the order mucorales are present in air throughout the environment, particularly in soil, decaying organic substrates, compost piles, animal dung, rotting wood and plant material. This can be easily observed as black colored growth on rotting fruits and old bread. Fungi play a very important role on Earth and required for healthy ecosystem, fungi evolved 400 million years ago. Fungi decompose organic litter and recycle the nutrients locked up in the leaves and wood. Mucormycosis is a non-contagious disease, and it cannot transmit by direct or indirect contact between people or between people and animals. As per recent reports, 70% of the cases documented around the world related to mucormycosis (black fungus infections) associated with COVID-19 are in INDIA. Fungi that are otherwise harmless but can take advantage of people with weakened immune system and invade tissues. This is why black fungus infections are also called as opportunistic Infection Mucor fungi produce millions of spores (dark-hued, microscopic spherical structures) that are disseminated in air. These spores when land on moist surfaces, like plant material, compost piles, animal dung or soil, they begin to germinate and produce thread like structures called mycelia. The mycelia branch out and feed on sugars in their surroundings and grow. Fungal spores generally higher in summer than monsoon in INDIA. Outdoor around 800 to 4800 spores per cubic meter present compared to 80 to 280 spores per cubic meter inside house. Around 5 to 10 fungi species dispersed in the air. Request an appointment for Mucormycosis (Black Fungus Infection) treatment Unusual Mucormycetes caused Mucormycosis What are the causes of Mucormycosis? People get mucormycosis after inhaling fungal spores from the air through environment; cause lungs, brain or sinus infection whereas fungus enters through the damaged skin due to any type of skin injury to cause a skin infection. Most of the people every day come in contact with microscopic fungal spores, so it’s highly impossible to keep ourselves away from mucormycetes. Generally these fungi aren’t harmful to most of the people. However, for people who have weakened immune systems, breathing in mucormycete fungi spores can cause an infection which can spread to other parts of the body and organs. Rhizomucor, Mucor, Rhizopus, Cunninghamella bertholletiae, Saksenaea, Syncephalastrum, Apophysomyces, and Absidia fungi species commonly cause the infection. What are the types of Mucormycosis? Types of Mucormycosis - Pulmonary mucormycosis (lung), Rhinocerebral mucormycosis (sinus and brain), Cutaneous mucormycosis (skin), Gastrointestinal mucormycosis, Disseminated mucormycosis As per the research black fungal infection can spread in a body through bloodstream, infect body parts and organs. Pulmonary mucormycosis (lung) - It is the most common in patients with cancer and in patients who have had a stem cell transplant or an organ transplant. Rhinocerebral mucormycosis (sinus and brain) - It is the sinus's infection that can spread to the brain. This is most common in patients with uncontrolled diabetes and in patients who have had a kidney transplant. Cutaneous mucormycosis (skin) – It is the skin infection when fungi enter the body through damaged skin (due to surgery, severe burn or any type of skin injury). This is the most common among people who do not have weakened immune systems. Gastrointestinal mucormycosis - It is common among young children especially low birth weight and premature infants age less than 1 month, who have had surgery or on medications that lower the body’s ability to fight illness. Disseminated mucormycosis – It is the infection commonly affects the brain but when infection spreads through the bloodstream and can affect other body parts and organs such as heart, spleen and skin.