Candida auris fungal infections grows at alarmin rate in US

• Candida auris is spreading at an alarming rate.
• Causing serious sickness or death in those with weakened immune systems or medical devices.
• Cases of Candida auris have increased due to increased screening efforts.

A lethal fungal illness Candida auris that is difficult to treat is spreading at a “alarming” rate. (CDC), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the CDC study, US cases nearly doubled in 2021, rising from 756 to 1,471.

Candida auris does not affect healthy people, but it can cause serious sickness or death in those with weakened immune systems or in those who use medical devices like ventilators or catheters.

The vast majority of tested patients were resistant to anti-fungal therapy.

The CDC has referred to it as a “urgent antimicrobial resistance threat” as a result. Hospitals and senior living facilities are filled with patients.

According to the CDC, it can spread through “contact with affected patients and contaminated surfaces or equipment.”

It can be challenging to determine the precise role Candida auris played in susceptible individuals, according to CDC epidemiologist Dr. Meghan Lyman, the report’s lead author. One in three patients with invasive infections pass away.

The CDC states that fever and chills, which do not go away with therapy, are the most typical symptoms.

The majority of patients are already ill, thus it can be challenging to identify the fungus. An infection can only be confirmed by a lab test.

Infection was initially identified in the US in 2016. According to CDC data that was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the most pronounced increase in cases occurred between 2020 and 2021.

Another reason for concern was the increase of cases that became “resistant to echinocandins” which is the antifungal medicine most recommended for treatment of the infection.

The CDC blames increased screening efforts and subpar infection control in healthcare settings for the spike.

It might have been worse as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic’s burden on the healthcare and public health systems.

The main epidemiologist for Mississippi has determined that the outbreak’s epicenter is a long-term acute-care institution.

“Unfortunately, multi-drug resistant organisms such as C. auris have become more prevalent among our highest risk individuals, such as residents in long-term care facilities,”

In 2022, there were 5 clinical cases of Candida auris, according to preliminary CDC data. There were 359 and 160 instances in California and Texas, two states with higher populations.

2,377 clinical cases were reported nationwide in 2022, a significant increase from the 1,471 instances reported in 2021.

According to Dr. Lyman, the increase “emphasizes the need for ongoing surveillance, increased lab capacity, quicker diagnostic tests, and adherence to proven infection prevention and control,” according to CBS News.

Cases of Candida auris have been rising in other nations as well.

The World Health Organization listed it as one of the “fungal priority pathogens” last year.

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