The fungus Candida auris is spreading in hospitals at an ‘alarming rate’

It’s not a fungal apocalypse. But this is a serious, serious problem.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced this week that the fungus Candida auris (C. auris) “spread in U.S. health care facilities at an alarming rate” between 2020 and 2021. The fungus is particularly problematic because it is a strain that has emerged in recent years, is resistant to some or all antifungal drugs, and is causing outbreaks in hospitals. rice field.

CDC takes seriously the spread of infection, which can cause serious and deadly blood infections.

“The rapid rise and geographic spread of cases is a concern, highlighting the need for continued surveillance, expanded laboratory capacity, faster diagnostic testing, and adherence to proven infection prevention and control. We do,” the statement said.(opens in new tab).

The study, titled “Worsening Candida auris prevalence in the United States from 2019 to 2021,” is published in the journal Medical Sciences. Annals of Internal Medicine(opens in new tab).

How worried should I be about Candida auris?

Candida auris, a yeast fungus, infects people who are very sick and have a compromised immune system.

“You have to have something wrong with your immune system to experience a fungal infection,” explained Dr. Ostrosky, who is also chief epidemiologist at the academic hospital Memorial Hermann. This includes people who have undergone other major life-saving surgeries or who are undergoing cancer treatment.

“In general, C. auris is not a threat to healthy people.”

People who are hospitalized unwell are particularly susceptible to Candia auris. “People who are very sick, have invasive medical devices, or have long or frequent stays in medical facilities are at increased risk of contracting C. auris,” he said to the CDC. says.

good luck“In general, C. auris is not a threat to healthy people,” the agency said. . That’s because our highly developed and healthy immune systems constantly fight fungal spores and keep such foreign fungal microbes at bay. “Humans are really good at preventing fungal infections. Fungal diseases,” he told Mashable earlier this year.

Tweet may have been deleted
(opens in new tab)
(opens in new tab)

i want more science and tech news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable’s Top Stories newsletter today.

However, the CDC has issued a warning to people infected with Candida auris because it is often resistant to multiple antifungal drugs doctors use to treat Candida infections. is an emerging strain of , already causing about 25,000 infections annually.(opens in new tab)About 30-60% of people infected with C. auris deceased, CDC said. “However, many of these people had other serious illnesses that increased their risk of death,” the agency said.(opens in new tab).

How widespread is Candida auris?

Since 2016, the CDC has become increasingly concerned about Candida auris. At that time, health authorities received reports that the fungus was resistant to drugs in other parts of the world.

“It seemed hard to believe,” writes the CDC.(opens in new tab)“CDC’s fungal experts have never received a report describing a Candida infection that is resistant to all antifungal drugs, let alone Candida that spreads easily among patients.”

• Although the number of reported cases is low overall, there has been a significant increase since 2015. The number of cases in 2018 increased by 318% compared to previous years, with a total of 323 clinical cases.(opens in new tab).

• Importantly, Candida auris cases have only increased each year since 2016.

• The number of cases will rise again in 2022, officials said.

  

  The number of Candida auris cases reported in the United States in 2022.
  Credit: CDC

Many factors may have contributed to these increases, the agency noted. This includes inadequate infection control, more screening to detect infection (a good thing), and an increase in the spread of the fungus during a time of great strain on the health system during the peak of COVID pandemic hospitalizations. .

To limit the spread, the CDC is sounding alarm bells to help healthcare facilities identify infectious fungi and find ways to contain the microbes in places like hospitals and nursing homes.