Ankesh Singh¹ and Ayushi Gupta²*

¹Department of Psychiatry, GIPMER, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India
²Department of ENT, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, SGT University, Gurugram, Haryana, India

*Corresponding Author: Ayushi Gupta, Department of ENT, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, SGT University, Gurugram, Haryana, India.

Received: June 23, 2021; Published: June 29, 2021

Abstract

  Mucormycosis is a rare but serious fungal infection commonly affects the sinuses/lungs after inhalation of fungal spores from the air, usually affecting people with a compromised immune system. In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, a multi-fold rise was seen in cases of mucormycosis or “black fungus” which was earlier a rare entity. This has added a great burden on the patients and their caregivers physically, financially, emotionally as well as psychologically. The high morbidity and mortality rates of mucormycosis can cause psychological impairment and decreased quality of life. Along with the patients and their caregivers, the treating doctors are also in duress as informing the family members about the poor prognosis of such an acute disease takes a toll every day. Most patients require a combined approach of surgical debridement and Liposomal Amphotericin B. The unavailability of Amphotericin B has led to suboptimal dosages in many patients in India. Loss a sense organ(s) like eye in cases of orbital involvement or any other part of the body like maxilla or palate, can lead to dependence on others for care and one’s own perception of themselves as a member of the society. Psychiatric manifestations can be a direct accompaniment in the aftermath of surgical debridement/ resection procedure for Mucormycosis. Addressing psychological functioning sequelae related with Mucormycosis, especially after surgical treatment for the disease; along with rehabilitation and psychotherapeutic sessions should be encouraged as a part of treatment in patients of Mucormycosis such that they continue to be functioning members of the society.

References

1. Petrikkos George., et al. “Epidemiology and clinical manifestations of mucormycosis”. Clinical Infectious Diseases1 (2012): S23-S34.
2. Spellberg Brad., et al. “Novel perspectives on mucormycosis: pathophysiology, presentation, and management”. Clinical Microbiology Reviews3 (2005): 556-569.
3. Cornely Oliver A., et al. “Global guideline for the diagnosis and management of mucormycosis: an initiative of the European Confederation of Medical Mycology in cooperation with the Mycoses Study Group Education and Research Consortium”. The Lancet Infectious Diseases12 (2019): e405-e421.

Citation

Citation: Ankesh Singh and Ayushi Gupta. “Surviving Mucormycosis: Impact on Psychological Well-Being and Quality of Life". Acta Scientific Otolaryngology 3.7 (2021): 90-92.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2021 Ankesh Singh and Ayushi Gupta. 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.