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Background: SARS-CoV-2 virus caused the COVID-19 epidemic, which eventually turned into a global pandemic. Immunomodulatory drugs used in COVID-19 treatment pave the way for opportunistic fungal infection and eventually lead to death in immunocompromised patients. Mucormycosis, candidiasis, aspergillosis, and fungal pneumonia are humans' most common fungal infections. Mucorales fungi like Rhizopus, Rhizomucor, Mucor, Rhizopus oryzae, and other fungi including Aspergillus, Candida auris, Candida sp., etc. induce COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) and also other fungal infections in immunocompromised patients. In addition, Mucorales produce a localized infection in the sinuses (paranasal sinuses), infection in orbit (sino-orbital), and infection in the orbit of the brain parenchyma (rhinocerebral infection). The angioinvasive fungus infects the pulmonary and dermal regions. Fever, headache, cough, shortness of breath, eyelid drooping, chest pain, periorbital and nasal oedema (swelling), and inflammation are major symptoms of CAM. Direct microscopic methods, fungal culture on medium, and molecular approaches are used to confirm the fungal strains at the species level. Antifungals such as amphotericin B, posaconazole, or isavuconazole are utilized to treat fungal infections and, in critical condition, surgically remove the debridement. However, antifungal-resistant fungal species appear harmful and discovering novel compounds to combat them is a top priority for the scientific community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White grubs, also known as May or June beetles belong to the family Scarabaeidae of Coleoptera. A study assessed the species diversity and distribution of these in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. Adult beetles were collected with light traps and manually from March to July, 2018 and 2019. The collection of 179 specimens resulted in 17 species belonging to nine genera of Melolonthinae and Rutelinae. Melolonthinae was slightly more speciose over Rutelinae with ten species under seven genera, whereas Rutelinae was represented by seven species under two genera. Overall, Sophrops karschi (Brenske) was the predominant species constituting 40.22% followed by Anomalochela bicolor subsp. belgaumensis Moser and Apogonia sp.1 (10.06% each). More number of species were documented in Belthangady region than Dharmasthala and Vittla. The data subjected to diversity indices revealed low species diversity in terms of evenness as species composition was skewed towards five species viz., Sophrops karschi, Anomalochela bicolor subsp. belgaumensis, Apogonia sp.1, Miridiba excisa and Adoretus versutus, which constituted nearly 79%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SARS-CoV-2 virus causes COVID-19, a pandemic disease, and it is called the novel coronavirus. It belongs to the Coronaviridae family and has been plagued the world since the end of 2019. Viral infection to the lungs causes fluid filling and breathing difficulties, which leads to pneumonia. Pneumonia progresses to ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome), in which fluid fills the air sac and seeps from the pulmonary veins. In the current scenario, several vaccines have been used to control the pandemic worldwide. Even though vaccines are available and their effectiveness is short, it may be helpful to curb the pandemic, but long-term protection is inevitable when we look for other options. Plants have diversified components such as primary and secondary metabolites. These molecules show several activities such as anti-microbial, anti-cancer, anti-helminthic. In addition, these molecules have good binding ability to the SARS-CoV-2 virus proteins such as RdRp (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase), Mpro (Main Protease), etc. Therefore, these herbal molecules could probably be used to control the COVID-19. However, pre-requisite tests, such as cytotoxicity, in vivo, and human experimental studies, are required before plant molecules can be used as potent drugs. Plant metabolites such as alkaloids, isoquinoline ß-carboline, and quinoline alkaloids such as skimmianine, quinine, cinchonine, and dictamine are present in plants and used in a traditional medicinal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]