Sanawad (Khargone district, Madhya Pradesh): Dr Ravish Jain, well-known ophthalmologist, and director of Dharmaj Netralaya said black fungus can be cured if infection is diagnosed on time.
He said black fungus is a rare infection. “Black fungus mostly prey on people with weakened immunity, high diabetes and lack of white blood cells. But there is no need to be intimidated by it. If black fungus is identified on time, the patient can fully recover with medicines”, he said on Saturday.
Dr Jain said black fungus infection is more visible in corona period. He cited three reasons for black fungus infection. Medicines containing steroids are given to save Covid patients but steroids reduce body's immunity.
Secondly, critical corona patients have to be given oxygen for a long time. This causes humidity to accumulate in oxygen tube. This humidity is also a major cause of black fungus infection. The third reason is increased sugar level of patient during corona infection.
Dr Jain said black fungus infection first affects nose, teeth, mouth and throat. Then it reaches the eyes and then the brain. When infection reaches brain, it becomes fatal and its treatment becomes difficult.
Swelling of face, numbness of upper face, runny nose, nose heaviness, tooth twitching are major early symptoms. When infection reaches eyes, then eyelids drop, eye movement stops, eyes come out or vision is lost. When this infection reaches brain, severe headache starts.
“If these symptoms appear after recovering from Covid, ENT specialist and ophthalmologist should be consulted,” he said. Sugar test, endoscopy, biopsy, nose, ear, head MRI scan should also be done.
