Quick View: Cumulative Mortality and Factors Associated with Outcomes of Mucormycosis after COVID-19 at a Multispeciality Tertiary Care Center in India
Published on MedED: 18 January 2022
Type of article: Quick View
MedED Catalogue Reference: MOT005
Compiler: Linda Ravenhill
Sources: JAMA Ophthalmology
Type of article: Quick View
MedED Catalogue Reference: MOT005
Compiler: Linda Ravenhill
Sources: JAMA Ophthalmology
If I had asked you if you had heard of rhino-orbital mucormycosis or CAM, the odds are you would say no. And with good reason. This deadly fungal infection that affects the sinuses, orbital region, and central nervous system is extremely rare.
Contracted by inhaling the spores of a group of molds found in rotting soil and organic matter, the infection is most often seen in immunocompromised people such as those on long-term steroids or insulin-dependent diabetics.
2021 however, has seen a dramatic rise in its occurrence with 3000 cases being reported in the year alone. Now scientists in India have linked this rise to the advent of COVID-19.1
Their study, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, found that on average, patients in the study (73 in total), had contracted CAM within 28 days of their recovery from COVID-19 infection; all the patients studied had a pre-existing condition such as diabetes or were on cortisone treatment, and more than half of the patients had succumbed to the infection.1
These concerning findings have led the researchers to conclude that COVID-associated rhino-orbitocerebral mucormycosis may pose a significant global public health challenge in the months to come.1
Access the original research investigation here
References:
1. Choksi T, Agrawal A, Date P, et al. Cumulative Mortality and Factors Associated With Outcomes of Mucormycosis After COVID-19 at a Multispecialty Tertiary Care Center in India.. JAMA Ophthalmol. Published online December 09, 2021. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2021.5201
Contributor: Linda Ravenhill
Linda Ravenhill is a medical professional with an MA in Journalism. She has worked in the medical, technology and digital development spaces for over 25 years, & has a particular interest in the impact of technology on the delivery of healthcare in the Sub-Saharan Africa region.
Linda Ravenhill is a medical professional with an MA in Journalism. She has worked in the medical, technology and digital development spaces for over 25 years, & has a particular interest in the impact of technology on the delivery of healthcare in the Sub-Saharan Africa region.
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