(Nexstar) – New cases of dangerous, drug-resistant fungi have been identified in hospital systems in at least two states.
Candida Auris, also known as C. Auris, was first identified in the United States in 2016. Since then, the number of cases has increased annually, and has increased significantly in 2023 (the last year of data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
Cases have recently grown in Georgia, the state health department told local news outlet WJCL. A study published this week focusing on Miami’s Jackson Health System found that cases of fungi “surged rapidly.”
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CDCs are called “an emergency antibiotic resistance threat” because Candida algae is resistant to antifungal drugs, making it difficult to treat infections when they occur.
“If you get infected with this pathogen that is resistant to treatment, there is no treatment we can give you to fight it. You’re all about yourself,” Melissa Nolan, assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of South Carolina, told Nexstar.
People with a healthy immune system may be able to fight infections themselves, but Candidauris is predominantly spreading to diseased and vulnerable healthcare environments. People with catheters, breathing tubes, feeding tubes and PICC lines are at the highest risk as pathogens can enter the body through these types of devices.
If a fungus infects a patient, it can be difficult to pinpoint what is happening. Symptoms are similar to those of infection, such as fever and chills.
Another reason why Candida Auris is concerned is how well it is suitable for survival on surfaces, such as countertops, bed rails and doorknobs.
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“Generally speaking, I’m really good at being present in an environment,” Nolan explained. “So, if you have it on a railing, for example, in a patient’s bed, you go to wipe it all off. In any way, you’re becoming resistant if some pathogens aren’t able to be cleaned up.
Hospitals in Georgia and Florida aren’t the only areas of interest. Candidaoris has been found in all but 12 states and has considerable spikes between 2022 and 2023.
C. aurisalaska0Alabama19arkansas10arizona179California1566Colorado3Connecticut8districtlocal casecolumbia97delaware30florida1485georgia219hawaii1iowa6idaho0illinois1627indiana304kansas0kentucky48louisiana38massachusetts23maryland203maine0michigan149minnesota8missouri4149minnesota8missouri4149minnesota8missouri4149minnesota8missouri4149minnesota8missouri4149minnesota8missouri4149minnesota8missouri4149minnesota8missouri4149minnesota8missouri4149minnesota8missouri4149minnesota8missouri4149minnesota8missouri4149minnesota8missouri4 Jersey491new mexico1nevada1,008new york1,795ohio274oklahoma10oregon4pennsylvania4444rhode island0 carolina8othoth dakota0tennessee107Texas750utah1virginia151vermont0washington0wisconsin12west virginia4wyoming0cases by State, 2016-2023 (Data: CDC)
In the past, the CDC estimated that “based on information from a limited number of patients, 30-60% of people with C. Auris infection have died. However, many of these people have other serious illnesses that also increase the risk of death.”
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