(MENAFN) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning regarding the rising cases of the drug-resistant fungus Candida auris in healthcare facilities across the United States. According to the CDC's latest data published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the number of infected patients has nearly doubled in the first half of 2021, with cases accelerating in recent years. For several years after the first cases were reported in 2016, only a few dozen patients were reported annually. However, by 2021, the annual tally of cases had increased 95%, from 756 in 2020 to 1,471 in 2021. Preliminary figures count at least another 2,377 cases for 2022. Thirty states and the District of Columbia have now reported Candida auris patients.
Candida auris is a type of yeast that usually causes no symptoms on the body of healthy individuals. However, the fungus poses a serious threat to patients who are already weakened by other conditions, leading to serious and invasive complications as it spreads into the body's systems. Many cases have affected patients in hospitals and nursing homes.
The fungus is already resistant to at least one class of antifungal drug in nearly all of the samples tested. One in three patients with invasive infections die, though CDC epidemiologist Dr. Meghan Lyman, who led the report, noted that it can often be difficult to assess the exact role the fungus played in some of these vulnerable patients. Even in patients who survive invasive infections, some remain "colonized" with Candida auris for years after treatment.
"There's still a lot to learn about colonization patterns. But the treatment doesn't seem to completely— while it may treat the infection, we don't have evidence that it completely eliminates C. auris from their body," said Lyman.
The CDC's warning highlights the urgent need for healthcare facilities to take action to prevent Candida auris infections. Preventative measures such as thorough and frequent cleaning, disinfecting equipment, and hand hygiene are critical to stopping the spread of the fungus. Healthcare providers should also be vigilant for signs of infection, such as fever and chills, and take appropriate measures to diagnose and treat patients quickly.
The rising cases of Candida auris infections is a cause for concern, and healthcare facilities need to take immediate action to prevent further spread of the fungus. The CDC's warning serves as a reminder of the importance of infection control measures in protecting vulnerable patients from serious infections.
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