Mucormycosis, commonly known as “black fungus“, is a highly infectious fungal disease. The incidence of mucormycosis has been of considerable interest in developing countries during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Mucormycosis in the setting of COVID-19 causes significant morbidity and mortality. The prevalence rates of mucormycosis amongst hospitalized COVID-19 and COVID-19 among mucormycosis patients are poorly understood.
A study published on October 11 in the Journal of International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology (ranked 2nd in the discipline of Otorhinolaryngology) reported a low pooled prevalence of mucormycosis among COVID-19 hospitalized patients. However, more than half of the hospitalised mucormycosis patients were COVID-19 positive. The pooled prevalence of COVID-19 among mucormycosis patients was significantly high (57%; 95% CI, 45% to 69%; p≤0.0001).
This study, comprising of a cumulative cohort of 50,778 patients, investigated pooled in-hospital prevalence by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis.
This is presumably the first meta-analysis on the pooled in-hospital prevalence of mucormycosis in COVID-19 and COVID-19 in mucormycosis. However, the authors caution that our understanding of mucormycosis during COVID-19 is far from optimal and still evolving.
For further reading:
Sinha, A, Bhaskar, SMM. In-hospital prevalence of mucormycosis among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and COVID-19 in mucormycosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2021; 1- 5. https://doi.org/10.1002/alr.22906
