On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that a fungus strain, Candida Auris, is on the rise and could be life threatening. Candida Auris is a type of yeast that is potentially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems.
The CDC noted that the fungus is mainly spreading in healthcare facilities, which poses a concern since hospitalized individuals can get sicker from it. They also mentioned that in some cases, it can enter the bloodstream and cause “invasive infections,” which attack different parts of the body such as blood, eyes, heart, brain and more. The fungus is also resistant to multiple antifungal drugs and requires specialized lab tests to accurately identify it.
In Monday’s press release, the CDC highlights that Candida Auris is primarily a threat to those who are very ill, have “invasive medical devices” like a catheter, or stay/visit healthcare centers regularly. It is relatively not a threat to people who are healthy.
Due to limitations with Candida Auris infected patient numbers and strain-identifying tests, the CDC does not have specific statistical numbers to show, but they say about 30-60% of infected individuals have died. Currently it is known that the fungus spreads through contaminated surfaces, equipment and person-to-person in healthcare settings, but more research needs to be done.
Since the pandemic, Candida Auris has spread at a rapidly increased rate and COVID-19 could be part of the reason why, although it is unknown how. CDC tracking data shows that the strain is being reported in over half of the 50 states and is most prevalent in New York, Texas, Florida, Nevada, California and Illinois.
Candida Auris was discovered in Japan in 2009. The United States first reported cases of it in 2016. In 2021, cases resistant to the recommended medication tripled.
Due to these circumstances, what is necessary moving forward-highlighted by the CDC-are “continued surveillance, expanded lab capacity, quicker diagnostic tests, and adherence to proven infection prevention and control,” said Dr. Meghan Lyman, a CDC epidemiologist, in the press release.
