Black Fungus in intestine: Rarest of rare cases found, treated at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital

Mucormycosis, or black fungus of the small intestine, has been found and treated in two recovered Covid-19 patients at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi.

[REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE] Doctors performing DNE on a patient to detect black fungus (Image credit: PTI)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Both patients were diabetic and had recovered from Covid: Sir Ganga Ram Hospital
• Only one of the patients had received steroids as part of the Covid-19 treatment, the doctors said
• The second patient, a 68-year-old, had mild abdominal pain days after recovering from Covid

Doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi have confirmed evidence of mucormycosis of the small intestine in at least two patients. According to the Ministry of Health, the rare disease, also known as “black fungus”, has so far claimed 219 deaths across the country.

In a statement on Saturday, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital said that black fungus was detected in the small intestine in two recovered Covid patients.

The two cases have been rare since then “Black mushroom” Often the lungs are affected, but the two patients treated at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital had Covid-19 and mucormycosis of the stomach / colon.

“The biopsy confirmed our worst fear of mucormycosis of the small intestine in both patients. Both patients had Covid and diabetes, but only one of them had received steroids,” the hospital said.

CT scan revealed mucormycosis of the small intestine

The first patient, a 56-year-old, lost three of his family members to Covid-19. He and his wife had tested positive and had a stomach ache after recovering from the infection. He initially took self-medication for acidity, which delayed treatment.

Only after a CT scan did the doctors diagnose mucormycosis of the small intestine in the patient. The doctors decided to operate without wasting time CT scan revealed that his small intestine had perforated.

CT scan of one of the patients treated for “black fungus” in the small intestine (courtesy of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital)

Dr. Ushast Dhir, a senior consultant in the hospital’s surgical gastroenterology and liver transplant department, said, “The ulceration of jejunam (first part of the small intestine) in the patient raised my suspicions of fungal disease and the patient was immediately given an antifungal drug. Treatment started part of the removed bowel for biopsy. “

Steroids used to treat Covid

In the case of the second patient, a 68-year-old, doctors say he too had a slight stomach ache after recovering from Covid-19. The patient was diabetic and had received steroids as part of treatment.

A CT scan revealed a perforation in the small intestine similar to that seen earlier.

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