Mucormycosis in covid-19 disease- a systematic review of the literature

Background and aims: There has been a recent significant rise in the incidence of Mucormycosis associated with Covid-19 diseases in India, leading to an increase in disease burden of associated morbidity and mortality on the patients and the health systems. The present study is a comprehensive review of literature summarising the patient demographics, initial presentation, diagnosis, clinical categorization, risk factors, treatment methods, and overall mortality related to Covid-19 associated Mucormycosisreported in published literature. Materials and methods: PubMed database was searched, and 68 patients from 23 published articles were included and reported according to the PRISMA guidelines. A descriptive summary of the different variables related to Covid-19 associated Mucormycosis was reported. Conclusion: Rhino orbito cerebral Mucormycosis was the most common clinical presentation identified in Covid-19 disease, while diabetes mellitus with or without ketoacidosis and corticosteroid use remained the most common risk factor. The risk of developing rhino orbito cerebral Mucormycosis was significantly higher in diabetic Covid-19 patients. Mortality was higher in patients treated with antifungal drugs only compared to the antifungal drug plus surgery group.

Keywords: Covid-19 disease; Mucormycosis; Systematic review.