AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY ON POST-COVID MUCORMYCOSIS IN JAMNAGAR, GUJARAT

Introduction: Covid19 predisposes to mucormycosis, probably due to diabetes, steroid and immunosuppressive status and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Present study aims to evaluate socio-demographic and clinical prole, its outcome, anatomical site of involvement and covid vaccination status of patients of post-covid mucormycosis. Methods: It's a cross-sectional study conducted in GG Hospital, Jamnagar between May to June 2020 with a total sample size of 264 patients. Results: The mean age of mucormycosis patients was 53.63 years. More than three forth of patients had history of diabetes. About 85% patients were unvaccinated for covid19. The case fatality rate of mucormycosis was 23.10%. The most common types of mucormycosis was Rhinomucormycosis (51.5%). Conclusion: A fatal combination of diabetes and indiscriminate use of steroids in covid19 increases possibility of mucormycosis. Discharge rate was 69%, with 23% mortality rate. This could be due to delayed diagnosis of disease and consequent late initiation of treatment. A larger proportion of patients (86%) were unvaccinated for covid19, that could led to increased probability to severe forms of covid 19 and subsequent oxygen therapy. Rhinomucormycosis is most common form of presentation. Recommendation. Timely diagnosis and early initiation of treatment, strict glycemic control, and rational use of steroids could save mucormycosis patients. Lack of awareness and ignorance could lead to severe covid19, that can lead to hypoxemia, and is sought to be one of the reasons for mucormycosis