Absence of zygomycetes in the oral niche of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and oral potentially malignant disorders

Mucormycosis is a fungal infection which has been regrouped under emerging infectious disease. In this COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of mucormycosis has been reported in many parts of India. Systemic condition that weakens one's immune systems like uncontrolled diabetes, chemotherapy or chronic long-term illness poses a grave threat for this fungal infection. Patients with oral cancer and precancer remain at significant risk for developing severe infections regardless of significant developments in therapy. Few studies have reported that this opportunistic fungal pathogen may be cultured from the oral cavity. Our findings disprove the oral carriage of filamentous fungi (Zygomycetes) among the group of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma, oral potentially malignant disorders who are susceptible to immunological deficits and healthy subjects. This finding strongly supports that the oral niche of healthy as well as the patients with oral lesions do not harbour this filamentous fungi.