Death at NBMCH raises questions on fungus type: Three patients die there of 'fungal infection' so far

SNS, SILIGURI, 3 JULY 2021: The death of a person in Siliguri, who had recovered from Covid-19 recently, has led to quest ion s on the exact fungal infection which had affected him later.

While a section of doctors suspected aspergillosis, a fungal infection caused by the fungus aspergillus, others suggested mucormycosis or black fungus.

The medical certificate of cause of death issued by the NBMCH says the man died of "cardio- pulmonary arrest in a case of post-Covid pneumonia with invasive fungal rhinosinusitis..."

The 48-year-old person from Milan More in Siliguri had been shifted to the Critical Care Unit at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) yesterday from a private nursing home, where he had a prolonged stay. Doctors of the nursing home had advised his family members to shift him to the NBMCH as they were suspecting mucormycosis. The NBMCH has been designated as the 'regional hub' for the management of recalcitrant mucormycosis cases.

Two women patients diagnosed with mucormycosis died there on Tuesday night, while another woman, a resident of Sevoke Road in Siliguri, who was suspected to be suffering from the disease and was admitted in the medicine ward, also died last night.

Some NBMCH doctors associated with the ENT department said the patient might have been affected with aspergillosis infection. They said mucormycosis begins to manifest as skin infection in the air pockets located behind our forehead, nose, cheekbones, and in between the eyes and teeth, but the patient did not have those symptoms.

" We suspect that the patient had been infected by the aspergillus fungus. The fungus is common, it causes infections in humans. However, it is not as deadly as mucormycosis, but can be fatal. The fungus grows slowly in the weak immunity system of the patients," they said.

Mucormycosis also spreads to the eyes and lungs.

" He had been admitted with ventilator support at around 11.30 am yesterday and he died around 11 pm. The person had been suffering from post-Covid complications. He had multiple comorbidities, while the condition of his lung was serious, and he had also undergone kidney transplants," doctors said.

However, NBMCH superintendent Dr Sanjay Kumar Mallik, who is associated with the microbiology department, said it could be mucormycosis.

"The patient had been immunocomromised and diabetic. Generally, in such patients having weak immune systems the fungal infection spreads quickly. His sample could not be sent for tests as we did not get much time for his treatment. But according to the symptoms, the capacity of its (fungus) spread, KOH mount, it indicates towards mucormycosis. Usually mucormycosis can spread quickly, not aspergillus. Therefore, it is suspected that the patient had been infected with mucormycosis," Dr Mallik said.

Health experts said that like mucormycosis, aspergillosis infection is generally four d in people who have recently recovered from Covid-19.

According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, "Aspergillosis is an infection caused by Aspergillus, a common mold (a type of fungus) that lives indoors and outdoors. Most people breathe in Aspergillus spores every day without getting sick. However, people with weakened immune systems or lung diseases are at a higher risk of developing health problems due to Aspergillus. The types of health problems caused by Aspergillus include allergic reactions, lung infections. and infections in other organs."

337 new Covid cases in Darjeeling district

Darjeeling district recorded 337 new Covid-19 cases, while the Siliguri Municipal Corporation area, including those under Jalpaiguri district, reported 130 cases today, sources said.

Takdah in Darjeeling Hills witnessed a spike with 56 cases, Matigara block recorded 48 cases, Naxalbari 32, Darjeeling Municipality and Sukhia Pokhari detected 19 cases each, Sukna 17, Bijanbari 14, Kharibari nine, and Phansidewa and Mirik registered seven cases each.

On the other hand, 320 people have recovered in government facilities and home isolation in the past 24 hours, sources said.

Covid patients die

Seven persons who had tested positive for Covid-19 died in Siliguri in the past 24 hours, sources said. Six persons died at the NBMCH, while another person died in a private nursing home.