BLACK FUNGUS :UPSC Daily Important Topic | 20 October 2021

BLACK FUNGUS

Topic: Health Related Issues

• It is a disease being detected relatively frequently among Covid-19 patients in some states.

• It is a rare but serious fungal infection.
• The disease often manifests in the skin and also affect the lungs and the brain.
• Caused by a group of moulds known as mucoromycetes present naturally in the environment.

It mainly affects people who are on medication for health problems that reduces their ability to fight environmental pathogens.

• Sinuses or lungs of such individuals get affected after they inhale fungal spores from the air.
• Warning sings include pain and redness around the eye or nose, with fever, headache, coughing, shortness of breath, bloody vomits, and altered mental status.

• Treated with antifungals.

• It may eventually require surgery.