First case of yellow fungus reported in Prayagraj

PRAYAGRAJ: City’s first case of black/yellow fungus case has been reported at United Medicine Hospital. The 73-year old patient has been operated and is doing well. Prayagraj has witnessed 20 cases of black fungus till date. However, this is the first confirmed case of black/yellow fungus here.
Besides, doctors at the hospital have diagnosed black fungus in a 32-year-old female patient.
According to hospital authorities, the 73-year-old, who is a beneficiary of the Ayushman scheme, had suffered and also recovered from Covid in the past. He underwent treatment for Covid in April-May at this very hospital (United Medicine Hospital) located at Jhalwa. However, after a few days, he reached the hospital again and complained of heaviness on the left side of his face, informed principal and ENT specialist of the hospital, Dr Mangal Singh.
Dr Singh and another ENT specialist, Dr Prabhat Srivastava, examined the patient and conducted vital tests. The patient was examined by endoscopy and MRI on June 8 which confirmed black and yellow fungus in his nose.
“We examined the patient and detected black and yellow fungus in his nose. Operation was performed, and the fungus was removed. The patient is feeling better now,” said the principal. He added that there had been cases of black fungus in Prayagraj, but it was for the first time that a case of black and yellow fungus was detected in the district.
Sources told TOI that although the elderly patient had been operated on June 8, he has not yet been administrated with Amphotericin B, a vital injectable medicine which should have been given to him right after the surgery. Even though the hospital had listed the dire need of this injection immediately after the surgery and had been trying their best to procure it, it has not received the vital injection even after four days. The medicine is needed to prevent further growth of fungus, if any.
Likewise, another patient suffering from black fungus was admitted at the hospital on May 29. She had an abscess on her right cheek, and the doctors suspected that she might be suffering from black fungus. Biopsy was done, and the hospital received the report on June 10, which confirmed the infection. “Later, we did the MRI which indicated the infection had spread from one side of the jaw to the cavernous sinus. She will be operated soon. However, we are in dire need of Amphotericin B injection for this case as well,” said Dr Singh.
Meanwhile, Prof Singh also advised Covid-infected and diabetic patients to remain cautious, as black and yellow fungus could be fatal for them. “If they have symptoms like toothache, jaw pain, watery or bleeding nose, difficulty in breathing and blurred visions, they should contact ENT doctors immediately in order to get the disease detected at an early stage,” he added. He said that if the fungus is not detected or treated at an early stage, it could be life-threatening as it could affect the jaws, eyes and brain.