Drug-Resistant Fungus Strain C. Auris Spikes in U.S. Hospital Systems

TL/DR –

Infection rates of a drug-resistant fungus strain called Candida Auris or C. auris, which was first detected in hospitals in 2016, have been increasing. The fungus, which kills more than a third of those infected, has surged from 51 reported cases in 2016 to 4,514 in 2023, with 413 cases reported in New York alone in 2023. The fungus has been found in 38 states and poses a serious risk to hospitalized patients, especially as it is resistant to all anti-fungal treatments and is easily transmitted in healthcare facilities.

Drug-Resistant Fungus Strain Infection Rates Rise in U.S. Hospitals

The drug-resistant strain of fungus, Candida Auris, is escalating in U.S. hospital systems with a reported surge in at least two states. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infection rates have significantly increased from 51 cases in 2016 to 4,514 in 2023.

The deadly fungus has a high mortality rate, killing more than one in three infected patients. Particularly vulnerable are hospital patients with existing health conditions.

In 2023 alone, 413 cases were reported in New York according to the CDC. The fungus, resistant to conventional antifungal treatments, has spread to 38 states. Its symptoms, including fever and chills, often mimic other infections making early detection difficult.

The CDC explains that C. auris spreads easily between patients through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects in healthcare facilities. In 2023, the CDC classified this rapidly spreading fungus as an “urgent antimicrobial resistance (AR) threat”.

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