Get an MRI scan done and immediately check with the doctors if suffering from persistent backache post-covid, infection mimics TB
A new fungal infection found among post- covid patients. It occurs in the eyes and is not easy to detect. It causes bone damage to the spinal-disc spaces. The infection is called aspergillus osteomyelitis. As per internal medicine and critical care consultant Dr Vaibhav Agarwal some covid recovered patients complained of mild fever and back pain who later got diagnosed with this fungal infection.
He said the fungal infection is quite difficult to detect as it mimics spinal tuberculosis (TB). It is an infection caused by a type of mold or fungus called aspergillosis and is commonly found in the environment. It doesn’t affect a person with healthy immunity but those with lung infection may develop allergic reactions and suffer from lung infection as well. The infection can lead to severe bone damage to the spinal-disc spaces of a patient.
“In several cases, it can even spread to blood vessels and beyond. The symptoms of this new fungal infection depend on the type of aspergillosis a person is infected with,” said Dr Agarwal.
“Covid-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) is known to doctors. Such fungal infection has been detected in mouth cavities of Covid-recovered patients, and, in rare cases, in lungs,” said infectious disease specialist Dr Ashwini Tayade. She also added aspergillosis is a well-established infection and post second wave of covid many cases were reported along with mucormycosis outbreak.
Doctors advised that the patients who recently recovered from covid with persistent backpain should immediately get an MRI scan. The symptoms of this fungal infection are shortness of breath, cough with blood, fever, lesions and joint pain.
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