The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned against a very uncommon and fatal fungal infection called Candida auris, or C. auris.
What Happened: The national public health agency said the fungal infection is spreading rapidly throughout the country.
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Health officials said the fungal infection mainly affects elderly people and those with weak immune systems. “In general, C. auris is not a threat to healthy people,” said CDC, adding, “People who are very sick, have invasive medical devices, or have long or frequent stays in healthcare facilities are at increased risk for acquiring C. auris.”
CDC warned that Candida auris could not be treated with the usual antifungal drugs and can lead to death in up to 60% of cases. According to CDC, there were over 2,300 confirmed cases in the U.S. in 2022, a steep jump compared to 1,474 cases in 2021. In 2020 there were just 757 confirmed cases.
According to health officials, the fungus not responding to antifungal drugs is very worrisome as those drugs are usually the first choice for treatment. The experts believe the situation needs more investigation and development of better protection and prevention methods against Candida auris.
"The rise in echinocandin-resistant cases and evidence of transmission is particularly concerning because echinocandins are first-line therapy for invasive Candida infections, including C auris," a research paper into the spread of the fungus in the Annals of Internal Medicine said.
"These findings highlight the need for improved detection and infection control practices to prevent spread of C auris," it added.
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