Rapid Spread of Deadly Fungus in US Healthcare Facilities Detected by CDC
Candida auris, a drug-resistant fungus that preys primarily on older people with weakened immune systems, has spread rapidly during the pandemic and is now in more than half the 50 states, according to a new research paper. The surge represents a “dramatic increase” in caseload and transmission of C. auris, which is particularly dangerous because it resists treatment by common antifungal medications. The pandemic likely worsened the spread of C. auris, as less emphasis was put on screening for it and personal protective gear was reused due to supply shortages. Health officials are concerned that if resistance to frontline treatment class of drugs called echinocandins becomes more common, C. auris could become extremely difficult, if not impossible, to treat.
- Deadly Fungus Spread Rapidly During the Pandemic, C.D.C. Says The New York Times
- Candida auris fungal infection rapidly spreading in U.S. The Washington Post
- Deadly Fungus Detected in Most U.S. States The Wall Street Journal
- An emerging fungal threat spread at an alarming rate in US health care facilities, study says CNN
- Cases of Potentially Deadly Fungus Tripled in Past Few Years, CDC Says Medpage Today
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