What is White Fungus and how dangerous is it? Here's all you need to know

As cases of Black Fungus continue to rise in several states of India and the centre has asked states to declare it as an epidemic, at least four cases of White Fungus have also been reported from Patna, Bihar. Notably, one of the four patients of White Fungus infection is a famous doctor in Patna. As per several medical experts, White Fungus infection is more dangerous than Black Fungus infection or Mucormycosis that is also being reported in several states including Gujarat and Maharashtra. 

What is White Fungus? Why is it more deadlier?

Medical experts consider White Fungus infection deadlier than Black Fungus because the former impacts the lungs along with other parts such as nails, skin, stomach, kidney, brain, private parts, and mouth. The severe infection of White Fungus impacts lungs in a similar manner as COVID-19 with chest pains and shortness of breath. Other symptoms can also be confused with another disease which can lead to delay in anti-fungal treatment.

Dr. SN Singh, the head of PMCH’s Microbiology Department had reportedly revealed the information regarding four cases of White Fungus infection. He reportedly said that even though all patients had symptoms similar to that of COVID-19, they were not infected by SARS-CoV-2 or novel coronavirus. All patients were fortunately treated with anti-fungal medicines. But the infection is more dangerous as it affects the lungs and the impact can be detected by performing HRCT.

Symptoms of White Fungal infection

As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the symptoms of white fungal infection mainly depend on where the fungus is growing in the body. While the most common form of infection is the skin, the white fungus can confuse medical experts as the severe form of the disease impacts lungs in the same manner that SARS-CoV-2 does that causes COVID-19. Following are symptoms of white fungus infection:

• Small, painless bump on the skin that can develop any time from 1 to 12 weeks after exposure to the fungus which eventually grows bigger
• For lung infection, symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, and fever
• If the infection is disseminated, it depends on the affected body part. Infections in joints can cause joint pain that may be confused with rheumatoid arthritis. Infections of the central nervous system can involve difficulty thinking, headache, and seizures.

Prevention, Diagnosis of White Fungus

For protection against any pathogen including White Fungus, CDC has recommended “wearing protective clothing such as gloves and long sleeves when touching plant matter that can cause minor cuts or scrapes.” The disease can be diagnosed by either taking a small tissue sample or biopsy of the infected area of the body and blood tests also sometimes help in discovering the infection. Treatment of White Fungus disease is mainly done through anti-fungal medicines and are not life-threatening. However, this changes if person contracts severe disease and lungs are infected. 

Centre ask states to declare Black Fungus an Epidemic

The White Fungus cases have been flagged in Patna just as Union Health Ministry declared Black Fungus or Mucormycosis as an epidemic. In India, a disease can be declared as an epidemic by making it a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. This move will mandate all government and private hospitals to follow ICMR's guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of mucormycosis and report all such cases to respective Chief Medical officers. 

IMAGE: ANI