10 Things That You Should Know About Nasal Aspergillosis

What is Nasal Aspergillosis? Amid the rising cases of mucormycosis in the country, doctors are observing cases of another invasive fungal infection called aspergillosis among patients who are recovering from COVID-19.

According to doctors, the cause of the infection might be related to the unregulated usage of steroids among patients infected with the novel Ccronavirus in the second wave of the ongoing pandemic.

According to doctors, aspergillosis mimics mucormycosis and spreads slowly in a patient. The infection can cause blindness, organ dysfunction, and loss of body tissues and can even reach the lungs of the patients.

Nasal Aspergillosis? Here are 10 things to know:

1. It is a fungal infection caused by a type of mould which affects the respiratory system, but the signs and severity of the infection vary greatly.

2. Aspergillus, the mould that causes the illness is found everywhere outdoors and indoors but most of its strain is harmless.

3. A few strains of aspergillus can cause serious illness when people with weakened immune systems, underlying lung disease, asthma, or those who have undergone a rigorous course of steroids to treat Covid-19 inhale these fungal spores.

4. In most people, the spores trigger an allergic reaction, while in others, they develop mild to serious lung infection.

5. The most serious form of aspergillosis is invasive aspergillosis which occurs when the infection spreads to the blood vessels of a person.

6. According to Dr Sheetal Mistry who talked to The Indian Express, even though Pulmonary aspergillosis (in lungs) is commonly seen, but the aspergillosis of the sinuses are rare.

7. The diagnosis of the invasive fungal infection is difficult through blood profile because the galactomannan level does not indicate the presence of fungus in COVID-19 patients.

8. According to Mistry, the treatment for aspergillosis is the same as black fungus, and white fungus using Amphotericin-B, which is an antifungal medication used for serious fungal infections and leishmaniasis.

9. Some of the symptoms of nasal aspergillosis include stuffiness, runny, headache, and reduced ability to smell.

10. Usually, the infection is diagnosed by doing a biopsy of the lung tissue.