Nagpur: On one hand, when the country is witnessing a decline in the number of Covid infection cases, a new infection- aspergillus fungi, is being discovered in Post- Covid patients. After black fungus in lungs, yellow fungus in eyes, this is another recently discovered complication of the dreaded virus which causes bone damage to the spinal-discs spaces.
Dr. Vaibhav Agrawal, Consultant- Internal Medicine and Critical Care informed that the cases of this infection are on a gradual increase. “We have started getting few such patients in hospitals where the covid recovered patients are complaining of mild fever and back pain”, said Dr. Agrawal. “This new infection, called aspergillus osteomyelitis, has led to severe bone damage to the spinal-discs spaces of a patient”, he added.
Dr. Agrawal also informed that Aspergillosis is an infection caused by a type of mold or fungus called Aspergillus. This fungus is commonly found in the environment but does not lead to any kind of infection in a healthy individual. However, when a person with compromised immunity or lung infection breathes the spores they may develop allergic reactions and lung infections due to it. In severe cases, it can even spread to blood vessels and beyond. The symptoms of this new fungal infection depend on the type of aspergillosis a person is infected with. Different types of aspergillosis affect the body in different ways. Here are some common types and symptoms of this fungal infection.
The symptoms of this infection include:
• Fever and chills
• Shortness of breath
• Coughing with blood
• Headaches or eye symptoms
• Fatigue
• Skin lesions
• Joint Pain
So, if you have recovered from Covid recently, and have a persisting backache, contact your doctor immediately and get an MRI scan done. If detected and treated early, you might be spared of most agonizing complications.
