MUCORMYCOSIS

It is a rare fungal disease, caused by a group of fungus named as mucormycetes.
It commonly infect people with poor immunity, and those with uncontrolled diabetes.
Other risk factors include steroid treatment, malignancies, HIV/AIDS and those who have been treated with medicines such as deferoxamine for iron overload conditions.
Most common type of Mucormycosis:
- Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis: It starts as a common cold or sinusitis and then soon spreads to the eyes producing redness of the eyes, and later leads to bulging of the eyes known as proptosis, sometimes leading to blindness.
Other forms of mucormycosis:
- The pulmonary form: in this the lungs are mainly involved
- Cutaneous mucormycosis or disseminated mucormycosis: it is a less common type of mucormycosis. It spreads throughout the body.

It is in the news, as few diabetic people having COVID-19 are developing this condition, and is commonly known as Black fungal disease.