Volume 7 Issue 4 (July-August), 2021

Review Articles

COVID-19 Associated Mucormycosis (CAM): A Narrative Review on Craniofacial Mucormycosis
Danish Khurana, Amanpreet Singh Mann

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a surge in the number of cases of mucormycosis. Most cases are temporally linked to COVID-19; hence, the entity is described as COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM). The most common type of mucormycosis seen in the setting of COVID-19 is Rhino-orbito-cerebral Mucormycosis / Craniofacial Mucormycosis. It poses an important burden on immunocompromised patients, due to its persistently high mortality. Subjects with diabetes mellitus and multiple risk factors may be at a higher risk for developing mucormycosis. Concurrent glucocorticoid therapy probably heightens the risk of mucormycosis. The diagnosis and treatment of mucormycosis remain a challenge. The clinical presentation is nonspecific, and, when it becomes apparent that the patient most probably has mucormycosis, it is often too late to administer effective treatment. Early diagnosis is thus crucial and is the main target of current research. A high index of suspicion and aggressive management is required to improve outcomes. The management of mucormycosis is multimodal, including reversal of underlying risk factors, administration of antifungal agents, surgical intervention and various adjunctive therapies. Timely and adequately dosed antifungal therapy is necessary. Liposomal Amphotericin B in the initial dose of 5mg/kg body weight with strict metabolic control is the treatment of choice. KEYWORDS: COVID-19 associated Mucormycosis, Craniofacial Mucormycosis, Immunosuppression, Diabetes Mellitus

 
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