Rhinocerebral mucormycosis: A clinicopathological analysis of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis

ABSTRACT Background: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVD-19) pandemic, the incidence of mucormycosis also increased, especially affecting individuals who have had the COVID-19 infection in the past. Aims: The aim of the study is to assess risk factors and clinical and histopathological features of mucormycosis in post-COVID-19 cases. Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted in a tertiary care COVID-19-dedicated hospital, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India, over a period of 2 months during the COVID-19 pandemic. All surgical specimens submitted for histopathology with a suspected diagnosis of mucormycosis were included. Histopathology was considered the gold standard. All histopathologically confirmed cases were studied in detail with respect to histopathology, clinico-radiological features, and microbiological results Results: Of 25 cases with clinical diagnosis of mucormycosis, nine were histopathologically confirmed as mucormycosis. Seven patients had diabetes, while two did not have any co-morbidity. The fungal load was heavy in 50% cases, and the proportion of necrosis was higher with diabetes mellitus, as compared to non-diabetic and non-co-morbidity patients. Angioinvasion (33.3% cases), soft-tissue invasion (44.4%), Splendor–Hoeppli phenomenon (44.4%), and neural invasion (11.1%) were also present. Mixed infection (Mucormycosis and Aspergillus species) was present in three of the cases who also had diabetes. The microbiological investigations were positive in only 55.5% cases. Conclusion: Post-COVID Mucormycosis has fatal outcomes. Early diagnosis and treatment are the key to successful treatment. Early and reliable diagnosis can be offered by histopathological examination.