Black fungus costs Mumbai man vision in left eye

Sanjay Pandey’s symptoms started with headache, fever and redness in the eye

A Nalasopara resident, Sanjay Pandey, has lost his vision in the left eye to the fungal infection, mucormycosis also called black fungus, that has been targeting an increasing number of Covid-19 patients. Although Pandey spent around Rs 18 lakh on treatment, delayed diagnoses and treatment led to the vision loss, his kin claimed. They are now struggling to procure the costly medicines, without which he may suffer a brain haemorrhage.

Pandey before he fell ill

Pandey's troubles began 20 days ago with a headache, fever and redness in the eye. "We rushed him to a nearby hospital where he was diagnosed with typhoid and treated for five days," said Kapil, Pandey's younger brother. "After being discharged, his symptoms persisted, so we took him to another hospital where he tested positive for Covid-19," Kapil said.

Also read: Eight Covid-19 survivors die of black fungus in Maharashtra: DMER

Pandey was then treated for nine days at Vinayaka Hospital in Nalasopra. "The swelling near his eye increased and his eyelid started closing. We kept asking the doctors about it but did not get a satisfactory response. We were told that it is because of Covid-19. Later, he lost vision in the left eye," Kapil said. While in most cases mucormycosis has been developing during or after Covid-19 treatment, in Pandey's case, both diseases came together.

Case unique

The Pandey family claims that a lack of awareness among doctors cost them heavily. "After he lost his vision, an ENT doctor at Vinayaka Hospital diagnosed him with mucormycosis but it was too late. He advised that we shift him to a hospital in Mumbai," Kapil said.

Pandey was then shifted to Lotus hospital in Borivli, where he was operated on. Later, he was shifted to a Bhayandar hospital. The family has spent Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 on ambulance services alone. Pandey's treatment has cost around Rs 18 lakh so far. His family is struggling to get the costly injections and medicines due to a shortage. "He needs Fungisome injection (seven times a day for three to six weeks) and Cresemba 100 mg capsule (10 strips). One injection of Fungisome costs Rs 7,400 and a strip of Cresemba costs Rs 21,000. We have injections enough only for a day. We are also running out of funds but somehow managing through crowdfunding," Pandey's nephew, Abhay Tiwari said.

Understanding the fungus

"There are three types of mucormycosis we are dealing with and doctors must immediately check for mucormycosis if any of the symptoms like blockage of nose, foul smell or discharge from the nose, decreased sensation over the face, orbital pain, double vision, pain in the eye, headache, nausea are noticed. Covid-19 patients are more susceptible because they are administered steroids which suppress the immune system. Drugs like tocilizumab and remdesivir change our immunity. Also, steroids also increase blood sugar, which creates the perfect environment for the fungus to grow," said Dr Shrinivas Chavan, head of the ENT Department at JJ hospital. Dr Chavan said that the hospital is seeing at least five to seven cases from Maharashtra daily.