What is Yellow Fungus? How You Could Stay Safe Right Now?

There has been a rampant rise in the number of fungal infections reported amongst people, particularly those who have recovered from coronavirus infection.

Now, after black fungus and white fungus infection, cases of yellow fungus infection have been reported in India, which doctors or primary care physicians warn is much scarier.

According to reports, one of the first cases of yellow fungus infection has been identified in Ghaziabad, U.P in India. While the disease has not been notified by health experts or government authorities as yet, the behavior of the disease has been flagged off as worrisome.

According to reports, the patient who has been diagnosed with yellow fungus was already infected by both black and white fungal infections.

While we continue to learn more information about the same, doctors or primary care physicians have recommended that a yellow fungus infection can be much more dangerous than black and white fungus cases, and needs attention from the very beginning since it is an infection that could cause heavy internal damage.

Here is an explanation of the same, and some of the ways you could safeguard your health.

What exactly is yellow fungus infection?

While black fungus infection has been acknowledged as an epidemic in some states, yellow fungus infection is not exactly new. Medically called mucor-septicus, doctors or primary care physicians have said that the infection has never been reported in humans but only in reptiles.

A yellow fungus infection, much like other fungal infection spreads via infected environments, or when a suspected patient breathes in moulds (mycometes) which grow in the environment.

What makes this infection different from white and black fungus infection is how it spreads. While black fungus begins with distinct facial disfigurement, the yellow fungus infection begins to cause symptoms by launching an attack on the body's internal organs and disturbing important bodily processes.

Since the damage caused by the infection is said to be much more dangerous and serious, experts now warn people to begin recognizing the infection from day 01 and look for help.

How does it spread? Is it contagious?

Fungal infections spread when a person breathes in moulds, and are found in the environment. Now, yellow fungus infections can also be spread through high levels of humidity or the presence of old, infected food. Although, poor hygiene and unsanitary conditions remain to be the prime reasons for infection.

While fungal infections could mainly attack people with compromised immunity, yellow fungus or other fungal infections being talked about right now are not exactly contagious, since they cannot be spread from person to person such as other respiratory infections, including that of COVID-19. The risk of external spread has not been found or studied in detail as of yet.

What makes a person vulnerable to the risks?

Depending on your health and risk factors, yellow fungal infections could hit like a primary or secondary infection. Although, from what has been evidently seen so far, the risks continue to be aggravated for those people who have weakened immunity, frail health, or suffering from pre-existing issues like uncontrolled diabetes, high cholesterol, which cause inflammation and lower the body's ability to fight off infections.

As seen with COVID-recovered cases (or those in the middle of recovery), an increase in fungal infections has been reported amongst those put on long-term oxygen support, or who have been prescribed steroid use. The use of steroids has now come under scrutiny from leading medical authorities.

It could also develop on the skin after the fungus enters the skin through a cut, scrape, burn, or other kinds of skin trauma.

Additionally, the Centres of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that the risk of fungal infections are also high for-

• People who have spent a significant amount of time in intensive care units (ICU)

• Have had an organ transplant recently, suffering from immune complications or low white blood cells (WBCs) counts.

• Are dependent on extensive anti-bacterial or steroid use.

• Have kidney damage or put on dialysis.

Yellow Fungus Symptoms

As per available case studies, the following are the main symptoms of yellow fungus infection:

• Disrupted digestion

• Slow metabolism, unexplained-unusual weight loss

• Pus leakage

• Loss of appetite, malnutrition

• Scrawny, sunken eyes

• Lack of energy, lethargy, and fatigue

• Necrosis (in serious cases)

• Delayed recovery of wounds

• Prolonging recovery timelines

Why is it more harmful than other fungal infections?

From what has been seen right now, one of the reasons why a yellow fungus infection acts out differently from white fungus or black fungus is the manner of its spread. Since it spreads internally, it could cause heavy internal damage and hence, more 'serious' in nature.

For the same reason, people have been advised to look for treatment from the very starting and prevent the case from becoming complicated.

How could people protect themselves?

The important thing to remember is that we're just starting to learn information about the new infection. Although, like with any infection, one of the best steps to take is to safeguard your health.

Weakened immunity helps fungal infections thrive. People suffering from uncontrolled diabetes, or with a history of diabetes should be extra careful of keeping their blood sugar levels under control.

As for patients battling COVID-19, since one reason for the spread of these hazardous moulds is unsanitary environments, one must make sure that proper disinfection is followed.

Those on oxygen therapy should also make sure that oxygen is well-filtered and not infected (for example with unclean water). Indiscriminate usage of steroids and associated medications should be curtailed.

In addition to this, doctors and specialists suggest that any at-risk patient not expose themselves to the risk unnecessarily, follow proper mask mandates, and maintain personal hygiene. Wearing clothes that do not expose the skin to probably infected surfaces might also go one step further to protect you.

If you or anyone you know is suffering from a yellow fungus infection, our expert providers at Post Covid Centers will take care of your health and help you recover.

Call 469-545-9983 to book a telehealth appointment for a home check-up.