In Delhi, First Of Its Kind White Fungus Case Shows Intestine Damage: Reports

Delhi's Sir Ganga Ram Hospital reported a case of white fungus Thursday, observing the severe damage it caused the patient's intestine. In what is reportedly the first-of-its-kind case, the white fungus caused perforations on the internal organs of the 49-year-old female patient.

"White Fungus (Candida) causing multifocal perforations in the food pipe, small bowel and large bowel in COVID-19 infection has not been reported in literature to the best of our knowledge," senior SGRH Dr Anil Arora said to PTI. 

The second wave of &t=3s">COVID-19 in India has brought a sharp spike in cases of black and white fungi, and even a rare yellow fungus.

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The patient was admitted to SGRH on May 13 after complaints of pain in the abdomen, vomitting, etc. She was also a breast cancer patient and had been receiving chemotherapy until a month ago, reports say. A CT scan detected fluids in the abdomen cavity, which doctors said suggested organ perforation.

Her surgery, a day later, revealed "perforation in the lower end of the food pipe. A part of the small intestine had developed gangrene and sloughed off, and the patient had multiple thinned out patches in the wall of the colon with one small leak."

Delhi-based Dr Rimy Prashad, DNB General Surgery, tells SheThePeople, "Candida is commensal (normally present) in humans in the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract and vagina. In an immunocompromised state, it can cause infection."

"Candida also has been seen to aid the growth of bacterial agents specially staph epidermidis, which is the most common pathogen associated with valve/central venous catheter-associated infections," she adds.

Dr Arora of SRGH was quoted saying that a biopsy, in case of the female patient, revealed ulcers on the intestinal wall which resulted in perforation and necrosis due to white fungus invasion. The woman, as per doctors, showed improvement with anti-fungal treatment and is currently recovering.