MP reports white fungus infection
State sees surge in black fungus cases also
After Bihar, Madhya Pradesh has reported the case of white fungus infection.
A 55-year-old man, who has recovered from Covid19 earlier this month, was on Saturday detected to have contracted white fungus infection in the government-run Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College and Hospital in Jabalpur.
“This was the first case of white fungus infection in Madhya Pradesh. The fungus was removed in a surgery and the patient is doing absolutely fine after the surgery”, Dr Kavita Sachdev, head of the department, ENT, in the medical college hospital told this newspaper.
The case was diagnosed as Aspergillosis, commonly known as white fungus infection, after culture of the fungus in the virology lab of the college, she said.
She, however, said the white fungus infection detected in the patient was different from that found in four patients in Patna Medical College Hospital on May 19.
While it was a case of ‘candidiasis’ detected in four patients in Patna medical college hospital, it was a case of aspergillosis detected in the patient in the hospital in Jabalpur. According to her, candidiasis affects lungs and is said to be more lethal than black fungus infection, medically known as mucormycosis. But, aspergillosis affects paranasal sinuses (nasal cavity) and is said to be less lethal than black fungus infection.
According to the experts, black fungus infection spreads to lungs and other vital organs through blood and may prove fatal if there is delay in treatment.
White fungus infection remains localized for quite some time before spreading to other organs.
The 55-year-old man of Jabalpur, who contracted white fungus infection, had tested positive for coronavirus in April and was discharged from hospital in the first week of May following his recovery. He was admitted to Netaji Subash Chandra Bose medical college hospital in Jabalpur last week when he complained of severe pain in his face.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh has witnessed a surge in cases of black fungus infection declared as epidemic in the state on Saturday.
“Madhya Pradesh has so far reported 610 black fungus infection cases”, state health commissioner Akash Tripathy said.
The infection has claimed the lives of 31 people so far.
Indore has reported the highest number of 250 cases of black fungus infection in the state, followed by Bhopal where
190 such cases have been reported. “The situation has worsened due to lack of awareness about the disease among the people particularly those who have recovered from
Covid-19 as well as acute shortage of the anti-infection drug, AmphotericineB’”, experts say.
“The situation of the patients is pathetic due to shortage of the drug”, I.D. Chourasia, neurologist of government-run Hamidia hospital here said.
“The country faced shortage of Amphotericine-B injections due to sudden surge in cases of black fungus infection after May 4. We were till now dependent on import of the drug.
But, pharmaceutical companies in the country have started manufacturing the drug and normalcy in the supply of the injection will be restored in 15 days”, Rajiv Singhal, secretary of All India organisations of chemists said.
According to the doctors, a patient suffering from black fungus infection needs administration of three doses of the antiinfection injection per day for 20 days for recovery.