Lately, a serious fungal infection has resurfaced in India, affecting Covid-19 patients in remission. This infection is related to a black fungus. This time it is about another fungal infection relating to a white fungus, this one spreading more easily in certain parts of the body.
Currently, the second wave of coronavirus in India is a real carnage. The country's Covid-19 death toll is over more than 300,000 deaths for about 26 million cases. Recently, we reported on the discovery of a "triple mutant" variant in India, as well as the resurgence of mucormycosis in Covid-19 patients in remission, an infection caused by a black fungus. As The Independent explains in an article from May 22, 2021, Indian scientists are concerned this time about the appearance of another infection:candidiasis.
This is a fungal infection caused by a unicellular white fungus , namely yeasts of the genus Candida . In Patna in the province of Bihar, four cases of candidiasis were noted. However, the fact is that patients plagued by this infection also presented symptoms of the coronavirus. They also had characteristic lung lesions of coronavirus infection. However, they had not tested positive for the virus, which raises questions.
Within the Indian scientific community, the most worrying thing is none other than the capacity of yeasts of the genus Candida easily spread to certain parts of the body. These include the kidneys, brain, stomach and nails. Above all, the white mushroom is more violent than its black counterpart . Thus, the country's authorities want to monitor other cases of candidiasis that may appear elsewhere in the country.
This additional concern is largely fueled by the spread of the black fungus causing mucormycosis. In the province of Maharashtra alone where the city of Bombay is located, authorities have reported 2,000 cases – compared to about 7,000 nationwide . About ten days ago, 11 people had lost an eye due to this infection, but today there is talk of a mortality rate that has already exceeded 50%!
Several factors have favored the appearance of this infection in Covid-19 patients in remission. The most important of these seems to be taking steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to limit the damage of the coronavirus. Unfortunately, this treatment also has the effect of weakening the immune defences.
