Browsing by keyword "Mucormycosis"
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Newer Horizon of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Therapy in the Management of SARS-CoV-2-Associated Mucormycosis: A Safe Hope for Future MedicineSARS-CoV-2-infected patients are reported to show immunocompromised behavior that gives rise to a wide variety of complications due to impaired innate immune response, cytokine storm, and thrombo-inflammation. Prolonged use of steroids, diabetes mellitus, and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) are some of the factors responsible for the growth of Mucorales in such immunocompromised patients and, thus, can lead to a life-threatening condition referred to as mucormycosis. Therefore, an early diagnosis and cell-based management cosis is the need of the hour to help affected patients overcome this severe condition. In addition, extended exposure to antifungal drugs/therapeutics is found to initiate hormonal and neurological complications. More recently, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used to exhibit immunomodulatory function and proven to be beneficial in a clinical cell-based regenerative approach. The immunomodulation ability of MSCs in mucormycosis patient boosts the immunity by the release of chemotactic proteins. MSC-based therapy in mucormycosis along with the combination of short-term antifungal drugs can be utilized as a prospective approach for mucormycosis treatment with promising outcomes. However, preclinical and in mucormyIn mucormycosis, the hyphae of clinical trials are needed to establish the precise mechanism of MSCs in mucormycosis treatment.
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The "Black Fungus" in India: The Emerging Syndemic of COVID-19-Associated MucormycosisIndia is experiencing a second wave of COVID-19, with 28.2 million cases reported as of this writing, although this is likely an underestimate; the true toll is estimated at more than 500 million cases. The unprecedented increase in COVID-19 cases during this second wave exposed the crippled health care system. Oxygen supplies have dwindled, hospitals have turned away patients because of a lack of beds, and shortages of critical medicines have occurred. In the midst of this crisis, a “syndemic” of rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis infections has arisen, with nearly 9000 cases reported so far from several states in India. A syndemic recognizes the interactions between social and biological factors that result in more adverse disease outcomes. Compounding the crises are reported shortages of amphotericin B, the main drug used to treat mucormycosis. Although COVID-19–associated mucormycosis is not unique to India, emerging data indicate that the extraordinarily high prevalence is multifactorial, with contributions from poorly controlled diabetes, excessive use of corticosteroids and possibly antibiotics, and environmental exposure.
