Fighting Fungi

Abstract

Fungi are one of the major Kingdoms on this planet which, like all other life forms, ‘adapt to survive’. The human-fungus interaction is vast, with mycology being a major subset of microbiology and infectious diseases. This article attempts to be a neutral perspective: it not only describes how we fight off fungal infections by preventive and curative methods, but also how the fungi fight for survival in the available habitat that is largely controlled by humans. Two diseases are focused on, ringworm and mucormycosis. While the former is a troublemaker since time immemorial, mucormycosis has recently taken the limelight as an opportunistic infection in COVID-19 patients. The direct increase in the population of immunocompromised individuals is this pandemic may be due to an intensive use of steroids for treatment. The article also emphasises the need for early detection by a comprehensive diagnostic intervention (histopathology, direct microscopic examination, culture, (1,3)-β-D-glucan, galactomannan, and PCR-based assays) to ensure effective treatments and also highlights the preventive measures which can be taken to save lives. It is prudent to know the risk factors, the types of invasive mycosis, the strengths and limitations of diagnostic methods, clinical settings, and the need for standard or individualized treatment for mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients.