California, March 22 -- Mucormycosis, a fungus infection caused by Mucorales, has a high mortality rates in those with weakened immune systems and those who have suffered severe trauma, such as burns, blast injuries, or natural disaster victims.

The condition caused significant infection among COVID-19 patients treated with high doses of corticosteroids, with mortality rates approaching 60 per cent.

In the United States, there are approximately 4,000 cases per year with a rate of 200,000 in Southeast Asia where the disease is endemic to India. While vaccines and immunotherapies are available for viruses and bacteria, effective antifungal immunotherapies for mucormycosis, specifically, are lacking.

Ashraf Ibrahim, PhD, an investigator a...