Mohanty SL*, Selvakumar CJ, Sadeeshkumar V and Shobana N

Department of Neurology, Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital, Tamil Nadu, India

*Corresponding Author: Mohanty SL, Department of Neurology, Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital, Tamil Nadu, India.

Received: November 16, 2023; Published: January 10, 2024

Abstract

Background: Mucormycosis has emerged as an opportunistic infection during COVID-19 pandemic. It mostly affects the paranasal sinus, orbits, skin, gastrointestinal tract and brain. Intracranial spread has a poor prognosis and high fatality. It has been termed as “Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis”.

Objective: To study about the incidence of neurological features of mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients in tertiary care hospital.

Materials and Methods: This is an observational study done in a tertiary care hospital. COVID-19 infection was detected with reverse transcriptase - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The diagnosis of mucormycosis was confirmed with computed tomography (CT) paranasal sinus, nasal washings and nasal cavity tissue biopsy. CT and magnetic resonance imaging of brain was done.

Results: 30 patients presented with fever, headache, visual loss, decreased sensation over the face, hemiparesis, seizures. The neurological deficits observed were visual loss (n = 12), multiple cranial nerve palsy (n = 20), stroke (arterial = 15, venous = 8), infective encephalopathy (n = 10). The cranial nerves affected were oculomotor, trochlear, abducens (n = 20) followed by optic (n = 12), trigeminal (n = 9) and facial nerve (n = 5). Diabetes mellitus and COVID-19 were the associated risk factors.

Conclusion: There is increasing incidence of neurological complications in mucormycosis during COVID-19 pandemic. Judicious use of corticosteroids, strict hyperglycemic control can help us in reducing the no. of mucormycosis cases and its neurological complications.

Keywords: COVID-19; Rhino-Orbital-Cerebral Mucormycosis; Neurological Manifestations; Amphotericin; Stroke; Orbital Apex

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Citation

Citation: Mohanty SL., et al. “Neurological Manifestations of Mucormycosis in Covid-19" Acta Scientific Neurology 7.2 (2024): 14-18.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2024 Mohanty SL., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.