An antifungal-resistant pathogenic fungus, Candida auris, continues to spread and cause fatal hospital-acquired infections in the United States.
- A study carried out from 2021 to 2023 shows that Candida auris infections have increased by 95% in the United States.
- This fungus, often contracted in a hospital environment, can be fatal for fragile patients.
- It is the first antibiotic-resistant fungal pathogen classified in the United States as an urgent health threat.
Candida auris is a highly contagious emerging fungal pathogen in the blood. Discovered in 2016, it has spread widely in the United States in recent years due to its antimicrobial resistance. The fungus is often contracted in a hospital setting and can be fatal for the most fragile patients. Surprisingly, it is becoming increasingly resistant to drugs, making it an urgent health threat.
Candida auris infection rate increased by 95% in two years
Researchers from bioMérieux Inc conducted a study to analyze Candida auris detection rates in a US cohort between 2021 and 2023. Using a blood culture identification panel and a cloud-based surveillance network, they studied geographic and temporal infection rates. Since 2021, the Candida auris infection rate is said to have increased by 95%. These findings underscore the need for public health intervention to deal with this deadly fungus.
Candida auris represents an urgent health threat
This fungus is now the first and only fungal pathogen classified as an urgent health threat by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a category usually reserved for drug-resistant bacteria.
Antimicrobial resistance in Candida auris is largely due to improper clinical practices, such as the frequent use of these drugs to treat non-fungal infections. Additionally, immunocompromised patients such as people with cancer or diabetes are particularly vulnerable to Candida auris infection.
The consequences of the spread of Candida auris
According to the researchers, the uncontrolled spread of Candida auris could lead to serious disruptions in the quality of health care, as doctors will have to switch to more toxic and less effective drugs to treat fungal infections. Additionally, the situation can become even more alarming if strains of Candida auris manage to spread in the community outside of healthcare facilities.
