Assoc.Prof.Dr. Do Duy Cuong, Director of Tropical Diseases Center, Bach Mai Hospital, said that after Covid-19 pandemic, here began to detect and treat patients infected with black fungus.The number of cases is increasing.
In 2022, the hospital received 20 cases, in 2023 was 30 shifts and by the end of the third quarter of this year, the number of patients was 40 shifts.
Patients with black fungal infection treated at Bach Mai Hospital.Photo: Thuy Duong
Critical because of black fungal infection
"The number of patients tends to increase with complicated illness due to difficult detection, treatment of many challenges. Some patients go to the doctor and treat more than a dozen hospitals without disease.Leaving serious sequelae, life threatened and the quality of life is reduced "- Assoc. Prof. Cuong information.
For example, patient N.Q.T.(69 years old, in Hai Duong).Patients with a history of diabetes, high blood pressure, migraine, toothache and tooth extraction since June this year.
From that time, the patient was constantly high fever, facial pain, jaw, headache, went to the doctor and treated specialized dental dental, ear, nose and throat, nerves in many large hospitals but could not cure.
At the end of September, the patient was taken to the center of tropical disease, Bach Mai Hospital in a state of high fever, headache, right face pain and lung abscess.
According to Associate Professor Cuong, the patient was determined to have black fungal infection.Black mushrooms have penetrated deep into the lungs, sinuses and brain, causing lung abscess, partial necrosis of the brain and sinus.Doctors consulted and removed the necrotic tissue in the brain and sinus.Currently the patient is monitored and continues to actively treat.
In addition, many other patients after treatment of many places do not detect the disease, when they come to Bach Mai Hospital, they have damaged the brain, lungs, eyes, sinus area, and the gastrointestinal mucosa... Patients with superinfection make the treatment difficult and prolonged, leaving severe sequelae, the risk of death.
Black fungal disease is easily diagnosed
Associate Professor Cuong said black fungus (Black fungus), also known as mucormycosis, is a serious infection caused by fungi into deep tissues in the body, causing damage to infarction and tissue necrosis, forming sinus destruction., causing brain abscess, lungs ...
Black mushroom spores are available in the air, on the surfaces, especially wet, mud, farm area with cattle, wood, leaves, rotting fruits, rotting.
The fungus transmits into the human body through two paths: through the airway, inhaling black mushroom spores and through the exposure of open wounds such as broken fingers, deep scratches, scratches, other wounds.
This disease is especially dangerous for people with weak immune systems such as diabetics;HIV patients;Patients with Covid-19 have complications;Cancer patients, organ transplants;Patients use corticosteroid drugs for a long time;Children malnourished, light weight ... For patients with diabetes type 2, when black mushrooms into the body are easy to grow.
Patients with eye necrosis due to black fungal infection and image of black fungal
A group of people with high risk of black mushrooms should pay attention to symptoms such as: headache, sinus sinus pain, swelling on one side, swelling of one eye, loss of smell, fever, cough and difficulty breathing, painAbdominal, nausea, stomach bleeding.
"This is an emerging infection in Vietnam after Covid-19, so it is easy to be missed or confused with infections caused by other bacteria. To prevent the risk of black fungus, wear a mask in public places, construction site, farm, farm. Pay attention to the places where floods, natural disasters, places where cattle, crops, trees are rotten ... "- Associate Professor Cuong recommends.