The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued a warning about the rapid spread of Candida auris, a deadly fungal infection that is becoming increasingly resistant to treatment. While healthy individuals are not at risk, those with weak immune systems or using medical devices are particularly vulnerable to severe illness or death. In 2021, the number of cases in the US nearly doubled to 1,471, with the majority of cases immune to anti-fungal treatment. This has prompted the CDC to classify Candida auris as an “urgent antimicrobial resistance threat.”

The fungus can spread through contact with affected patients and contaminated surfaces or equipment, making healthcare facilities and elderly care homes particularly susceptible to outbreaks. Symptoms include fever and chills that do not improve after treatment, but it can be difficult to detect the infection as patients are typically already sick. Only laboratory tests can confirm its presence.

The rise in Candida auris cases has been attributed to poor infection prevention at healthcare facilities, as well as increased screening efforts, and may have been worsened by the strain on healthcare and public health systems during the Covid-19 pandemic. This underscores the need for continued surveillance, expanded lab capacity, quicker diagnostic tests, and adherence to proven infection prevention and control.
Other countries have also reported an increase in Candida auris cases, with the World Health Organization including it on its list of “fungal priority pathogens” in 2022. With the rise of drug-resistant infections, it is crucial to take necessary measures to prevent and control the spread of deadly infections like Candida auris.

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