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Review
. 2021 Dec 16;8(2):FSO772.
doi: 10.2144/fsoa-2021-0122. eCollection 2022 Feb.

New insights on mucormycosis and its association with the COVID-19 pandemic

Mona G Alshahawey  1 , Ghadir S El-Housseiny  2 , Noha S Elsayed  2 , Mohammad Y Alshahrani  3 , Lamia Mel Wakeel  1 , Khaled M Aboshanab  2
Affiliations
Review

New insights on mucormycosis and its association with the COVID-19 pandemic

Mona G Alshahawey et al. Future Sci OA. .

Abstract

COVID-19 continues to cause significant fatality worldwide. Glucocorticoids prove to play essential roles in COVID-19 management; however, the extensive use of steroids together with the virus immune dysregulation may increase the danger of secondary infections with mucormycosis, an angioinvasive fungal infection. Unfortunately, a definite correlation between COVID-19 and elevated mucormycosis infection cases is now clear worldwide. In this review, we discuss the historical record and epidemiology of mucormycosis as well as pathogenesis and associated host immune response, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment. Special emphasis is given to its association with the current COVID-19 pandemic, including latest updates on COVID-19-associated mucormycosis cases globally, with recommendations for efficacious management.

Keywords: COVID-19; epidemiology; fungal infection; host immune response; mucormycosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Financial & competing interests disclosure The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Mechanism of entry of Mucorales through the skin and body immune response against respiratory tract entry.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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