Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis is a rare infection primarily affecting patients with co-morbidities like immunosuppression and poorly controlled diabetes. Mucormycosis is increasingly being reported in patients with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). However, reports of coinfection of aspergillosis and mucormycosis involving nose, paranasal sinuses, orbit, and brain are rare in literature. We aimed to evaluate the patient demographics, clinical presentation, and management of cases presenting with mixed infection. We carried out retrospective analysis of 12 patients with confirmed diagnosis of mixed invasive fungal infections post-COVID-19 disease out of 70 cases of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) presenting to a tertiary-level hospital in North India from May to June 2021. All patients had diabetes mellitus; the mean age was 48 years. The common presenting features were headache, nasal congestion, palatal ulcer, and vision loss accompanied by facial pain and swelling. Two patients developed cerebral abscess during the course of treatment; three patients had concurrent COVID-19 pneumonia. All patients received systemic liposomal amphotericin B and serial surgical debridements. The overall mortality rate was 16.7%. Our study demonstrates that mucormycosis and aspergillosis are angioinvasive mycoses that are clinically and radiologically identical. KOH direct mount of clinical sample showing septate hyphae should be extensively searched for aseptate hyphae after digestion and clearing of the tissue. A high index of suspicion of mixed infection post-COVID-19 and early initiation of liposomal amphotericin B followed by prompt surgical intervention can reduce the overall morbidity and mortality among patients with this condition.

The second wave of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), during the early 2021, lead to devastating outbreak of mucormycosis in India. This study aimed to determine the etiology, clinical features, co morbidities and risk factors of rhino -orbito -cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) and antifungal susceptibility pattern for the isolates. The study included all suspected cases of ROCM in post COVID- 19 patients attending hospital from May to December 2021. 70 patients were diagnosed with mucormycosis during the study period. The commonest presentation was rhino-orbital and rhino-orbito-cerebral in 35.7% of cases each. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was the commonest associated risk factor in 95.7% of all patients while 78.5% of the patients were treated with corticosteroids in the recent past, and 25.7% presented with active COVID-19 pneumonia. The commonest isolate was Rhizopus arrhizus n = 14, followed by Aspergillus flavus n = 16, Aspergillus fumigatus n = 4, Aspergillus niger n = 3, Fusarium oxysporum n = 1, and Apophysomyces variabilis n = 1. Fungal species identification was done by phenotypic methods for all the isolates and DNA sequence analysis of 18 isolates, and antifungal susceptibility testing of 30 isolates was performed by commercially prepared HiMIC plate (HiMedia, Mumbai, India) using broth microdilution for amphotericin B, isavuconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole and posaconazole. The MIC50 and MIC90 of amphotericin B for R. arrhizus strains were 0.25 and 4 μg/ml; and the MIC50 and MIC90 results for itraconazole, posaconazole, and isavuconazole were 8 and 8, 2 and 2, and 2 and 8 μg/ml, respectively. In vitro data showed that amphotericin B was the most effective antifungal against most species. The commercially available ready to use MIC plates are user-friendly for performing antifungal susceptibility which may be useful in choosing appropriate regimens and monitor emerging resistance.

Introduction: As the number of COVID-19 patients increased during second wave, a steep rise of patients with mucormycosis was found in all parts of India. Objectives: To determine the epidemiological factors leading to the rise in fungal infection in patients during COVID-19 pandemic as well as describe the outcome of the disease during next three months after being discharged from the hospital Methods: It was a concurrent prospective study conducted between 26 June to

Poster session 1, September 21, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Objectives This study aimed primarily to determine the etiology, clinical features, and comorbidities of patients with rhino-orbito-cerebral mycosis. Secondly, antifungal susceptibility pattern of the isolates and lineage by ITS-sequencing was also studied. Methods The study was conducted from May to December 2021 on all suspected cases of rhino-orbito-cerebral mycosis in post-COVID-19 patients at a tertiary care center. Data pertaining to demographics, recent COVID-19 infection, clinical features, comorbidities, laboratory, radiological investigations, management, and outcomes were collected after obtaining informed consent from all patients. Staging of ROCM was done using the proposed code Mucor and diagnosis of COVID-19 was done on basis of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. KOH Mount examination, fungal culture, and histopathological examination was performed on samples collected endoscopically or post-debridement. Mucormycosis was proven based on fungal culture or specific histological features from biopsy specimens. In vitro susceptibility profiles for antifungal drugs as per CLSI microbroth dilution method (M38-A2) was studied by HiMIC™ plate (HiMedia) for amphotericin B, voriconazole, posaconazole, itraconazole, and isavuconazole. MIC ranges and the drug concentrations required to inhibit 50% (MIC50) or 90% of isolates (MIC90) were determined. ITS Sequencing was also performed on representative isolates. Results A total of 70 patients were diagnosed with mucormycosis. Rhino-orbital and rhino-orbito-cerebral forms were observed in 35.7% of cases each. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was present in 95.7% patients while 78.5% of the patients were treated with corticosteroids in recent past, and 25.7% presented with active COVID-19 pneumonia. Most cases showed onset of symptoms of mucormycosis between 29 ± 17 days from diagnosis of COVID-19. On imaging, orbit was involved in 52.8% and cranial involvement is seen in 35.7% of patients. Diagnosis of mucormycosis was established on KOH direct microscopy 68.6%, culture 47.14%, histopathology 55.7%. Isolates obtained were Rhizopus arrhizus (42.4%), Apophysomyces variabilis (3.03%), and Aspergillus spp (69.7%) while mixed infection was seen in 42.4%. The MIC50 and MIC90 of amphotericin B for R. arrhizus strains were 0.25 and 4 μg/ml; and MIC50 and MIC90 results for itraconazole, posaconazole, and isavuconazole were 8 and 8, 2 and 2, and 2 and 8 μg/ml respectively. Aspergillus spp was susceptible to amphotericin B (38.8%), itraconazole (50%), voriconazole (50%), posaconazole (11.1%), and isavuconazole (44.4%). Overall treatment included intravenous amphotericin B along with functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS)/paranasal sinus (PNS) debridement in 68.2%, orbital exenteration in 4.2%, orbital decompression in 11.4% patients and partial maxillectomy in 22.8% cases. Intraorbital injection of amphotericin B was administered in 15.7%. At final follow-up, mortality was 19.7%. In vitro MICs showed that amphotericin B was the most active compound against most species. Conclusion High index of suspicion, early diagnosis, and appropriate management of mucormycosis can improve survival. Rational use of steroids and strict glycemic control in diabetic patients can prevent occurrence of mucormycosis. Use of standard methods for antifungal susceptibility testing to guide antifungal treatment may be clinically useful in cases of treatment failure.