Deadly Fungal Infection Spreading at an Alarming Rate, CDC Says
By Linda Carroll
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) researchers published a new warning in the Annals of Internal Medicine about the rapid spread of Candida auris (C. auris), a drug-resistant and potentially fatal fungus, through health care facilities in the United States. Both the number of people diagnosed with and found to be carrying C. auris is on the rise. Dr. Meghan Lyman of the CDC's Mycotic Diseases Branch, lead author of the study, called the increases "concerning," adding, "We've seen increases not just in areas of ongoing transmission, but also in new areas." The Mississippi State Department of Health, for instance, said at least 12 people have been infected with C. auris in the state since November, and there have been 4 "potentially associated deaths." Two long-term care facilities in the state have seen ongoing transmissions. According to a CDC analysis of state and local health department data from 2016-2021, infections surged 59% from 2019 to 2020 to 756 and another 95% in 2021 to 1,471. Meanwhile, those who were "colonized" (not ill but carrying the fungus on their bodies) jumped 21% from 2019 to 2020 and 209% in 2021, rising from 1,310 in 2020 to 4,041 in 2021. The study indicates that C. auris has been found in over half of U.S. states.
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