In 2021, when the world was focused on the COVID pandemic, Indians were caught in the glare of an additional nemesis — the dreaded “Black Fungus”. The condition struck a chill in our hearts. Images in the media of suffering patients with their stories of utter despair sent waves of panic through the country. The infection killed many of its victims, while even the “lucky” survivors faced physical disfiguration, debilitating surgeries and long periods of recovery, made worse by the crippling financial costs of treatment. Black Fungus made even COVID appear benign in comparison. As the country searched frantically for answers, What is Black Fungus? became the most recorded Google query among Indians in 2021.

What is Black Fungus? Why is it so dreaded? Why does it seem such a particularly “Indian affliction’’?

As most Indians know by now, Black Fungus or mucormycosis (as it is correctly called) is an opportunistic fungal infection, caused by a group of fungi called Mucorales. These fungi are ubiquitous, meaning they are present all over the world. And yet, mucormycosis is a relatively lesser-known disease globally, even among doctors. This is because humans are typically resistant to fungal pathogens; this immunity keeps most of us safe, even if we come in contact with these microbes on a regular basis. The word “opportunistic” indicates that the fungus causes illness (i.e., mucormycosis) in humans only when the human host is weak or prone to infections, as with any kind of immunocompromise or conditions like diabetes. And hence the rarity in our acquaintance with this villainous microbe.

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