Deadly fungal infection Candida auris spreading rapidly in U.S.: Everything you need to know

This pathogen usually infects individuals with weakened immune systems.

A deadly fungal infection called Candida auris is spreading rapidly across the United States, with four people in Washington state testing positive this month. While it’s rare, doctors warn the infection can still be potentially dangerous due to its high mortality rate, drug resistance and ability to spread easily in medical settings. nbc news.

Following the confirmation of the first case on January 10, the Seattle and King County Public Health Agency said Tuesday that three more cases of Candida auris infection were discovered last week.

This pathogen typically infects individuals with weakened immune systems and is resistant to several popular antifungal drugs. It is often found in hospital patients who have feeding tubes, breathing tubes or catheters.

according to Desease control Centre (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), it can cause infections in different parts of the body, such as the bloodstream, open wounds, and ears. The location and extent of the infection determine symptoms. Bacterial infections may cause symptoms similar to those of C. auris. However, there is no typical set of signs and symptoms associated with infection.

Fungal infections can be found on the skin and other body parts, but no one gets sick from them. This is often called “colonization,” and a person may spread it to others without necessarily becoming sick. “Colonized people can still spread C. auris to surfaces or objects they touch and then spread it to other patients,” the CDC says on its website.

If patients become colonized or infected, they should be placed in separate rooms from high-risk groups. Rooms should be cleaned using disinfectant products and caregivers should wear gloves and gowns. People should use alcohol-based hand sanitizer or wash their hands before entering and leaving a room with a patient with C. auris and before and after touching the patient or the patient’s medical equipment to prevent its spread.

Cases of Candida auris, discovered in Japan 15 years ago, have increased dramatically in the past few years. The outlet further claimed that the virus infected 2,377 people in 2022, compared to 53 in 2016. The fungus has spread rapidly across most U.S. states and 40 countries, prompting the CDC and World Health Organization to label it a growing threat. In 2021, the fungus infected 1,471 people, according to CDC data.