Health warning issued over spread of 'deadly' fungal infection, should we be worried?

A potentially fatal and drug resistant fungus called Candida auris (C.auris) is spreading through U.S. healthcare centres at an alarming rate, according to a new report. The fungus is not seen as a threat to healthy people but can be deadly for those with weakened immune systems.

The number of people diagnosed with the fungus has risen rapidly and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is describing it as an urgent threat due to its resistance to medication.

Candida auris symptoms

The fungus can be found on the skin and throughout the body, according to the CDC:

The most common symptoms of invasive Candida infection are fever and chills that don’t improve after antibiotic treatment for a suspected bacterial infection.

The fungus can spread from person to person but also from interactions with contaminated surfaces and C. auris has now been detected in more than half of U.S. states, the new study revealed. It was first detected in 2016 but it is often difficult to diagnose because the yeast can only be identified through testing bodily fluids.

The fungus is causing so much alarm because it is difficult to distinguish from other yeasts and so is often misdiagnosed, making it difficult to contain the spread. As such, some people can be ‘colonised’ by the fungus and show no symptoms but have the potential to pass it onto others who are vulnerable.

The number of infections increased from 2019 to 2020 by 59%, and then a further 95% in 2021 with 1,471 cases diagnosed.

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Should we be worried?

Whilst it's not considered a threat to healthy people, about one-third of people who become sick with C. auris die. The fungus can be very damaging for people who are already sick, use invasive medical devices or have long or frequent stays at health care facilities.

Dr. Waleed Javaid, an epidemiologist and an infectious disease expert and director of infection prevention and control at Mount Sinai Downtown in New York, said the findings were ‘worrisome’, as per NBC News:

But we don’t want people who watched 'The Last of Us' to think we’re all going to die. This is an infection that occurs in extremely ill individuals who are usually sick with a lot of other issues.

The CDC are however asking the general public and healthcare professionals to be vigilant and recommend cleaning your hands with hand sanitizer or soap and water if you come into contact with a person with C.auris.

Read more:Deadly fungus discovered in pasta and bread, according to new study

Sources used:

- NBC News 'Deadly fungal infection spreading at an alarming rate, CDC says'

- CDC 'Candida auris: A Drug-resistant Germ That Spreads in Healthcare Facilities'

- NPR 'The potentially deadly Candida auris fungus is spreading quickly in the U.S.'