'Green Fungus' patient airlifted from Indore to Mumbai, possibly first such case in India

In another case of rare fungal infection, 'green fungus,' a 34-year-old patient was airlifted through a chartered plane from a private hospital in Indore to Mumbai's Hinduja hospital on Monday. According to District's health data manager, this is probably the first case of such infection in the country. The patient had recovered from COVID-19 however he underwent a test as doctors suspected contraction of dreaded black fungus infection (mucormycosis), reported PTI. 

The District Data Manager of Indore's Health Department, Apoorva Tiwari informed that the green fungus was detected in the patient's lungs. 

"The 34-year-old man, COVID patient, was being treated in Indore's Aurobindo hospital for the last one and a half month. He had 90 per cent lung infection. During diagnosis, green fungus was detected in his lungs which is different from Mucormycosis or Black Fungus. This possibly is the first green fungus case in the country," added Apoorva Tiwari, District Data Manager, Health Department, Indore.

What is green fungus? 

Since this is probably the first case of 'green fungus,' doctors are conducting deep research to see if more recovered COVID-19 patients have also contracted the rare fungal disease. Also goes by the scientific name, Aspergillosis, green fungus symptoms include nose bleeds and high fever which was found in the 34-year-old patient after he recovered from COVID-19. The doctor treating the patient in Indore's Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences (SAIMS) hospital, Dr. Ravi Dosi also informed PTI that patient had become very weak due to weight loss. 

White fungus patient treated in Indore

Amid reports of green fungus infection, a woman under treatment for white fungus in Indore's hospital was successfully treated, informed Tiwari to ANI. The fungus which is said to be India's largest fungus in dimensions was removed from her brain and the official termed her condition as healthy. 

"The woman was admitted to a private hospital on complaints of headache. Upon diagnosis, a large fungus was found in her brain. The size of the fungus was 8.2 cm x 4.6 cm x 4 cm, which is probably India's largest white fungus. This is also a post-COVID effect," mentioned district official.

(With agency inputs)