IN VITRO EFFECTIVENESS OF FUNGAL DRUGS ON FUNGAL ISOLATES CAUSING MUCORMYCOSIS IN POSTCOVID PATIENTS

Abstract

Covid-19 pandemic triggered Mucormycosis as fast progressing dreadful multidrug resistant fungal coinfection in post covid patients. The present study aimed to compare the efficacy of eight commercially available antifungal tablets on fungal pathogen of Mucormycosis isolated from two postcovid patients clinical samples. In this study eight antifungal tablets were used i.e. Zocon 150 mg, Nuforce 150 mg, Flucanzole 150 mg, Fussy 150 mg, Itrostred 200 mg, Candiforce 200 mg, Terbinaforce 250 mg and Grisovin FP 250 mg. Fungal pathogens were isolated on SDS agar by spread plate technique and identified. We observed Multipal Fungal Rare Mix Infection. Along with Mucor spp. and Candida spp. we observed rare Fusarium spp. and Alterneria Spp. and Aspergillus spp. were stored in pure culture on SDS agar slant. The speed of growth of Mucor spp. was reported as one and half times more than usual. The antifungal activity was studied by paper disc diffusion method on the lawn culture of Mucor spp. and Candida spp. The zone of inhibition (ZOI) of above eight antifungal tablets against Mucor spp. was 21mm, 27mm, 32mm, 21mm, 25mm, 11mm, 56mm and 37mm respectively. But for the Candida spp. out of eight tablets only one i.e. Grisovin FP 250mg showed 15mm zone of inhibition, remaining all were resistant. Thus Terbinaforce 250 mg and Grisovin FP 250 mg can be used as alternatives in antifungal therapy of mucormycosis in postcovid patients. Cocktail of Terbinaforce 250 mg and Grisovin FP 250 mg gives very good results against Mucor spp.