Mucormycosis: An Enigmatic Disease of the 21st Century – A Multicentre Observational Study

Introduction: Mucormycosis, a serious fungal infection, is increasingly common in immunosuppressed patients, particularly post-COVID-19. It’s an angioinvasive disease characterized by tissue death and necrosis. Materials and Methods: Patients presenting with clinical or radiographic evidence of mucormycosis were included in the study, while those without a histopathological diagnosis of the disease were excluded. The evaluation parameters included the clinical site(s) of mucormycosis, underlying risk factors or comorbidities, blood investigations related to COVID-19, antifungal treatment regimens, surgical and/or adjunctive therapy, hospitalisation requirements, oxygen supplementation, steroid use, vaccination status and overall prognosis. Results: The study found a significant correlation between COVID-19 and the incidence of mucormycosis ( P = 0.001). The duration of intensive care was significantly associated with the extent of mucormycosis (mean = 4.5 ± 9.599 days, P = 0.001). Prognosis was also significantly linked to HbA1C (mean = 7.457% ± 2.033%, P = 0.042) and D-dimer levels (mean = 819 ± 1510.58, P = 0.001). Notably, six patients who were COVID-19 negative and otherwise healthy also developed mucormycosis. Conclusion: Routine targeted screening for all patients, regardless of their medical or COVID-19 history, is crucial for early detection and management of mucormycosis and is essential for preparedness in future pandemics.