Fig. 3
From: COVID-19 associated Mucormycosis among ICU patients: risk factors, control, and challenges
Effect of COVID-19 with co-existing disease in developing Mucormycosis. When COVID-19 co-existing with other disease, enhance development of 2ry infection as Mucormycosis through: (1) increase administration of steroids and other immunosuppressive drugs that decrease patient immunity through dysregulation of immune cells (2) increase in macrophage activation and cytokines production as IL6 that enhance the increase in free iron concentration which cause endothelial damage and promote fungal invasion (3) ICU admission and mechanical ventilation in sever case increase risk of cross contamination (4) dysfunction of pancreatic beta cells that leads to hyperglycemia and may combined by diabetic ketoacidosis