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International Research Journal of Medical Sciences and Health Care

Open Access Peer Review International
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Systematic Narrative Analysis of COVID-19-Associated Mucormycosis in India: Pathophysiological Mechanisms, Epidemiological Patterns, and Clinical Impact Assessment

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Dr. Rizky Wicaksono 1 , Dr. Putri Lestari 1 ,
4 Faculty of Engineering Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Bandung, Indonesia
4 Department of Management Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia

Abstract

COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) emerged as a critical opportunistic fungal infection during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in India during the second wave. This systematic narrative analysis synthesizes existing clinical, epidemiological, and pathophysiological evidence to examine the determinants, progression, and outcomes of CAM. The study explores how SARS-CoV-2 infection, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, corticosteroid therapy, and healthcare-related environmental factors collectively contributed to the surge in mucormycosis cases. Evidence indicates that immune dysregulation, hyperglycemia-induced fungal proliferation, and endothelial damage play central roles in disease progression. Studies also highlight the high mortality associated with rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients, with rapid clinical deterioration requiring early diagnosis and aggressive intervention (Alekseyev et al., 2021). Epidemiological patterns reveal clustering of cases in high-diabetes-prevalence populations and in settings with prolonged oxygen therapy or steroid misuse. The findings underscore the need for integrated infectious disease surveillance, rational steroid use, and early antifungal treatment strategies. This review provides a comprehensive framework for understanding CAM and offers clinical and public health recommendations for future outbreak preparedness.

Keywords

COVID-19, mucormycosis, India, rhino-orbital fungal infection

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