Comparative Evaluation of COVID-19 Associated Mucormycosis (CAM) and Non-COVID-19-associated Mucormycosis (non-CAM)

Objective: To compare COVID-19 associated mucormycosis cases (CAM) with non-COVID-19 associated mucormycosis (non-CAM) cases followed as in-patients.Study Design: Observational Study.Place and Duration of Study: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Adana City Training and Research Hospital, Health Sciences University (HSU), Adana, Turkey, between January 2018 and March 2022.Methodology: Patients with a diagnosis of mucormycosis (proven and probable) were dichotomised as COVID-19 associated mucormy-cosis and non-COVID-19 associated mucormycosis cases. Both groups were compared for underlying malignancy, chemotherapy, anti -fungal therapy related side effects and overall survival.Results: Of the 35 cases enrolled in the study, 17 (48.6%) had CAM and 18 (51.4%) had non-CAM. A statistically significant difference was detected between non-CAM and CAM cases in terms of haematological malignancy, receiving chemotherapy, and antifungal thera-py-related side effects (p=0.019, p=0.019, and p=0.027 respectively). Steroid use was found as a risk factor for the diabetic CAM cases (p<0.0001). The difference between the CAM and non-CAM cases in terms of overall survival was not statistically significant (p=0.088).Conclusion: Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing number of critical patients, treatment of COVID-19 should be performed cautiously in patients who have the risk of developing CAM, particularly those with diabetes and immunosuppression (hae-matologic malignancy, receiving steroid or chemotherapy, etc.) and these patients should be monitored closely.