Black, White and Yellow fungus

Why in news?

• While the country is still dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, cases of black fungus or mucormycosis are on the rise in the country. Meanwhile, cases of white fungus and yellow fungus have also been reported from some parts of the country.

Black fungus:

• Black Fungus is a term given to the disease called Mucormycosis. It is a fungal infection caused by the Mucorales order of fungi from which it derives its name.
• It is marked by blackening of tissue when the fungus causes invasion of tissues and blood vessels and thus interrupts blood supply to normal tissue, which gets then necroses and changes colour to black.

White fungus:

• White fungus is a genus of Yeast called Candida. In humans, they appear as white, creamy spots on the mucosa of the oral cavity most commonly.
• They are common in the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract and are present on skin as well.
• Candida albicans is the most commonly isolated species. Albicans means white. Hence the term white fungus.

Yellow fungus:

• Yellow fungus is a term that does not have any scientific significance. Yellow is the colour of pus, which is formed whenever there is any bacterial infection with or without fungal growth.
• It does not mean that the fungal infection is causing the colour.

Prelims Question

”Mucormycosis”, a term recently in news, is a type of:
(a)Fungal infection
(b)Viral Infection
(c)Algal Bloom
(d)None of the above

Answer to prelims question