Open AccessUNRAVELING (COVID) MUCOR MYCOSIS, DENTISTS AT THE DEEP END - A MINI REVIEW
Author(s) -
Nirmala Chandrasekaran,
Anil Kumar Ramachandran,
G. Padmanabha Kumar,
Siddharth Dhanraj
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of advanced research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2320-5407
DOI - 10.21474/ijar01/13506
Subject(s) - mucormycosis , medicine , intensive care medicine , stage (stratigraphy) , mortality rate , disease , dermatology , surgery , paleontology , biology
COVID-19 otherwise called as SARS-Cov-2 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome declared as pandemic by WHO, resulted in increased mortality globally. Post covid recovered patients developed a wide range of opportunistic bacterial and fungal infections including mucormycosis. Even though mucormycosis is known as a life-threatening disease in immunocompromised patients and patients with uncontrolled diabetes with high rates of morbidity and mortality, application of a proper protocol and adhering to the standard guidelines in the management from initial stage to advanced complex stage can reduce the morbidity and mortality. Since the early clinical signs and symptoms arise in the oral and maxillofacial region, the role of general dentist in early detection of the clinical signs and symptoms and in particular the early surgical intervention by the Oral & Maxillofacial surgeons can definitely reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by mucormycosis. Poor prognosis and increased morbidity are often related to delayed diagnosis and delayed management without proper guidelines. This article aims to describe in brief mucormycosis with the current update and the role of an endodontist in diagnosis and management of this fungal infection.