Overview
Mucormycosis, widely known as black fungus, is a rare but aggressive fungal infection that mainly strikes people with poorly controlled diabetes or a weakened immune system, and it drew attention during the COVID-19 pandemic in India. It commonly starts in the nose and sinuses and can spread rapidly to the eye and brain. It is a medical emergency because it advances fast and can be fatal, so warning signs in a high-risk person must never wait — urgent hospital treatment saves sight and life.
Symptoms
- One-sided facial pain, swelling or numbness
- Black crusts or discharge inside the nose
- A blocked nose with headache and sinus pain
- Drooping, swelling, redness or loss of vision in an eye
- Fever and rapidly worsening illness in a person with diabetes
When to see a doctor
This is an emergency in a high-risk person — go to a hospital immediately for facial swelling, black nasal crusts, or eye symptoms, especially with diabetes.
Emergency — call 108 or go to the nearest hospital
- Facial or eye swelling, drooping or vision loss, or black crusts in the nose in a person with diabetes or a weak immune system — seek emergency care immediately
Causes
Common environmental moulds that invade the tissues of people with uncontrolled diabetes, a weak immune system, or after severe illness or steroid use.