After the outbreak of the most frightening mucormycosis (black fungus) in the second wave of coronavirus infection. Now a new fungus related to this epidemic has emerged. Infection caused by this is a very rare type of fungus. It is medically called Aspergillus osteomyelitis. However, it is causing symptoms like spinal TB in the mouth or lungs of corona victims.
However, as per the report, symptoms of this new fungus have been found in four patients who have recovered from Covid-19 in Pune in the last three months. They have put the medical world in worry.
According to the report, a 66-year-old patient Prabhakar started complaining of low fever and extremely severe back pain. After a month of recovering from a corona infection. The doctors initially treated Prabhakar with muscle relaxants and without steroids, which did not bring relief.
After this, an MRI scan revealed a very serious infection in Prabhakar's spinal cord. It damaged the bone of his spondylodysitis (space between the spinal discs). After that bone biopsy and examination of tissue were done. In that, report he was found to be a victim of Aspergillus osteomyelitis fungus.
Dr. Parikshit Prayag is an Infection Specialist, at Dinanath Mangeshkar Hospital, Pune. He said we have treated four patients with vertebral osteomyelitis caused by the Aspergillus category of fungus in the last three months. Earlier, no case of showing symptoms of this fungus was reported in patients recovering from corona in India.
However, Prayag says that these four patients were suffering from severe corona infection. However, during that time they were given steroids extensively to treat pneumonia and other complications. He said long-term use of corticosteroids increases the risk of infections.
But at the same time, it also depends on the treatment of the disease and other medicines being used. At present, we are treating all four patients. The first of these was admitted to the hospital four months ago. And the last patient came only in October.
