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By Jordan King
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Alarm has been raised about a dangerous fungus called Candida auris, which has previously been classified as an "urgent antimicrobial resistance (AR) threat" by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Why It Matters
Candida auris, also called C. auris, "can cause severe, often multidrug-resistant, infections," according to the CDC. It is often spread among patients in health care facilities via breathing tubes, feeding tubes, central venous catheters and urinary catheters.
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Symptoms of C. auris depend on the type of infection whether it's from the bloodstream, a wound, or a person's ears.
It causes severe illness and can be life-threatening, although it's difficult to know how many deaths it is responsible for as "most patients who become sick with C. auris were already very sick."
What To Know
A new study, which focused on the Jackson Health System in Miami, found that cases of the fungus have "rapidly increased."
After looking at cases between April 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023, researchers concluded that "the volumes of clinical cultures with C. auris have rapidly increased, accompanied by an expansion in the sources of infection."
The study, "Changing Trends in the Sources and Volumes of Clinical Cultures with Candida auris at a Large Health System" was published in the American Journal of Infection Control on March 17.
It comes as the Georgia Department of Public Health's JoAnna Wagner recently told local news station WJCL that 1,300 cases were recorded as of the end of February.
"Many of the disinfectants that are EPA-registered and historically used by hospitals and medical facilities are not effective against C. Auris," she said.
WJCL reported that C. auris is resistant to many household cleaners and traditional hospital disinfectants like ammonia-based cleaning solutions. Health care facilities in the Peach State are now using EPA "List P" certified cleaners.
"Candida Auris is a type of fungus similar to Candida Albicans, which is what is common in yeast infections," Dr. Timothy Connelly of Memorial Health in Savannah, Georgia, told WJCL. "The difference between Candida Auris is it's an invasive fungus, and a lot of the common medicines that we use, like Diflucan, don't work for it. And then the second line medicines, like Micafungin, in 10% of cases, that doesn't work for it."
Wagner, meanwhile, added that the fungus "is not a threat to the general public."
Newsweek has contacted Georgia Department of Public Health via email for comment.
C. auris was branded an "urgent AR threat" by the CDC in 2023 after it assessed the "alarming rate" that the fungus spread in U.S. health care facilities in 2020 to 2021.
"The rapid rise and geographic spread of cases is concerning and emphasizes the need for continued surveillance, expanded lab capacity, quicker diagnostic tests, and adherence to proven infection prevention and control," CDC epidemiologist Dr. Meghan Lyman said.
The fungus was first discovered in the U.S. in 2016, and the number of cases has increased every year.
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What People Are Saying
The CDC says on its website: "C. auris can be multidrug-resistant and can cause life-threatening illness. It spreads easily in healthcare facilities and mostly affects people who are already very sick. People without risk factors generally do not get infected or colonized with C. auris infection."
It added: "In general, C. auris is not a threat to healthy people. People who are very sick, have invasive medical devices, or have long or frequent stays in healthcare facilities are at increased risk for acquiring C. auris."
Assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of South Carolina, Melissa Nolan, told Nexstar in 2023: "If you get infected with this pathogen that's resistant to any treatment, there's no treatment we can give you to help combat it. You're all on your own."
Dr. Timothy Connelly of Memorial Health in Savannah, Georgia, per WJCL: "The fungus will just keep getting bigger and bigger, obstruct certain parts of the lungs, and can cause secondary pneumonia. Eventually, it can go on to kill people."
What Happens Next?
The CDC is yet to release comprehensive data on any cases of C. auris this year.
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