WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Ala’a Ibrahim Saleh*, Mohammed Maher Mohammed Salih and Ali Zeno Thanoon AL-Tahoo

ABSTRACT

Background: Mucormycosis, often known as black fungus, is an aggressive and sometimes fatal fungal infection caused by phycomycetes, including Rhizopus and Mucor species. Angio-invasion and bad prognosis are hallmarks of mucormycosis. Given the difficulty in obtaining deep tissue samples, it is challenging to determine the precise diagnosis and extend of mucormycosis. Objectives: Is to assess the comorbidities and ultimate results of rhino-cerebral and oral mucormycosis among patient with COVID-19 in Mosul City. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study assessed 50 post-COVID-19 patients with rhino-cerebral and oral mucormycosis at Al Jamhoori Teaching Hospital in Mosul, Iraq, from the beginning of April 2021 to end of March 2023. The study included patients with rhino-cerebral or oral mucormycosis who on or had received corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs. Patients with gastrointestinal, pulmonary, cutaneous, and disseminated mucormycosis types were excluded from the study. The questionnaire includes five sections, section one for demographic information, section two for the patients’ past history, section three for patients’ treatment history and section four for response details of the infection and part five for complication and the final outcomes. Results: The study included 50 patients with rhino-cerebral and oral mucormycosis. Of them; 27[54%] patients were males and 23[46%] patients were females. With male to female ratio of 1.17:1. Moreover: the mean age ± standard deviation of the study participants was 53.21 ± 9.98 years. It’s evident that uncontrolled diabetes was prevalent among 27[54%] patients, followed by hypertension which was prevalent among 20[40%] patients. Form the other hand; 7[14%] patient reported medical free history. Statistically significant difference was found between the patients who survive and those who passed regarding the presence of uncontrolled diabetes[P value <0.001], been medical free[P value = 0.037], central nervous system involvement[P value <0.001], eye involvement[P value <0.001], clinical picture of the disease presentation[P value <0.001], color of the mucosa[P value <0.001], perforation of the palate[P value <0.001] and perforation of the nose[P value <0.001]. Conclusion: The mortality rate for post-COVID-19 associated mucormycosis was very high, primarily as a result of delayed diagnosis and inadequate treatment. For a quicker diagnosis and better prognosis of such an aggressive illness, physicians must therefore be more knowledgeable about the clinical manifestations of mucormycosis in post-COVID-19 patients, particularly deep palatal ulcers and dentofacial pain with special caution for patients with uncontrolled diabetes.