A deadly drug-resistant fungus, called Candida Auris, which is producing outbreaks in an increasing number of healthcare facilities across the nation is being watched by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The prevalence of Candida Auris infections in the United States has significantly grown recently, according to fresh data collated by a CDC research team and published on March 21 in Annals of Internal Medicine.
From 2019 to 2021, 17 states reported their first case, while the number of nationwide cases recorded by healthcare facilities climbed by 95%.
Threat to the wider population
These statistics indicate that the present safety and disinfection practices at care facilities may not be adequate, with illnesses reported in a total of 28 states and the District of Columbia.
As most healthy people are not at risk for serious infections, which are more likely to spread in hospital settings, experts do not currently see Candida Auris as posing a significant threat to the general populace. But there are worries that it might transform into one in the future.
Due to its frequent medication resistance, ease of distribution through medical facilities, and potential for severe disease, the CDC has classified Candida Auris as a “urgent threat”.
It can also be carried on people’s skin without showing symptoms, making it easier for it to spread to others. It is also resistant to some conventional disinfectants.
According to the researchers, the timing of this accelerated spread shows that “pandemic-related strain on the health care and public health system” may have contributed to its escalation.
The study’s lead author, CDC epidemiologist Dr. Meghan Lyman, said in a news release that “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”.
Candida Auris, a drug-resistant fungus that causes outbreaks in healthcare institutions, is a severe and growing health danger, according to Dr. Scott Roberts, an infectious disease specialist at Yale School of Medicine.
Read more: Experimental pill: Revumenib shows potential in leukemia treatment
Candida Auris Transmission
Unlike other fungi, Candida Auris is easily transmitted from person to person and can be difficult to eradicate once it establishes itself in a healthcare facility.
Public health officials have increased surveillance efforts, including testing asymptomatic people, to detect the fungus, with screening cases tripling from 2020 to 2021.
While healthy people are unlikely to be affected, those with serious medical problems or weakened immune systems are at increased risk, and screening can help protect them from serious infection.
Read more: Cats and dogs can spread drug-resistant microbes to humans, study finds
