Candida auris On the Rise

The rise of Candida auris (C. auris) is a big concern in hospitals and elder care facilities around the world. Below is a short synopsis of articles about it.

What is Candida auris?

C. auris is a type of fungus that causes a severe infection in hospitalized patients, most commonly in those with compromised immune systems. The most common symptoms are fever and chills that don’t improve after antibiotic treatment.

C. auris is invisible and odorless. And, only a lab test can diagnose Candida auris infection.

The microbe can be carried on the bottom of shoes and clothing. It sticks to surfaces and floors in hospital rooms. It adheres to patients’ skin, phones and food trays. It is hard to clean up.

The CDC is Concerned about the spread of Candida auris

• It is drug-resistant – common anti-fungal drugs do not work.
• It is hard to identify – hospitals need very specialized lab methods to identify it.
• Misdiagnosis leads to delayed treatment.
• It spreads in hospitals and nursing homes – many patients already have weakened immune systems.
• Patients can remain colonized with C auris for a long time.
• It often leads to severe infection and death – about 30%-60% of patients with invasive Candida auris infection die.

C. auris is Widespread around the World (stats as if 4/30/2019)

CDC’s map provided with this post shows that multiple cases of C. auris have been reported from around the world. Countries reporting cases include Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States (primarily from the New York City area, New Jersey, and the Chicago area) and Venezuela.

Candida auris is Drug Resistant

According to MedicalXpress.com, “Drug resistance is one of the biggest health threats facing communities worldwide today. It means that infections can no longer be easily treated with available drugs. In some instances, infections can’t be treated at all.”

“Big Pharma largely has abandoned research and development on new antimicrobial agents, drugs that treat both fungi and bacteria. Therefore, some doctors fear we are on a path in which pathogens have become unaffected by existing medications. This is called multi-drug resistance.”

History

C. auris was first diagnosed in 2009 in Japan. Today, it has been diagnosed worldwide. See the article Candida auris in the News, Part 2 for information on how to protect yourself. For more background information on the rise of Candida auris, click here.

Author: Carolyn Willbanks