Diagnostic Performance and Clinical Utility of Conventional PCR Assay in Early Diagnosis of COVID-19 Associated Rhino-Orbito-Cerebral Mucormycosis.

ABSTRACT: Early diagnosis and treatment of rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) are crucial. Potassium hydroxide with Calcofluorwhite (KOH + CFW) smears can demonstrate the fungal hyphae, but mixed infections caused by both mucorales and non-mucorales pose a diagnostic challenge. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can detect mixed infections and differentiate mucorales from non-mucorales. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of a single reaction PCR in the diagnosis of ROCM and the efficacy of nasal biopsy and endonasal swab in the detection of fungus. Sixty-six clinical samples were collected from 33 patients and were subjected to KOH + CFW smear, culture and PCR. PCR was performed using pan-fungal primers targeting the 28S large subunit rRNA gene, and the amplified products were furt

SUBMITTER: Mohapatra S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9409716 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature