Everything we know about the deadly Candida auris fungus raising alarm

 Everything we know about the deadly Candida auris fungus raising alarm

 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, incidences of a fatal drug-resistant fungus that was already spreading throughout the US dramatically increased, with more than half of all states now reporting cases.

 

The first instance of Candida auris (C. auris) was documented in Japan in 2009, while the earliest documented cases in the US date from 2013. According to a report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine journal, the number of cases increased significantly through the end of 2021.

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which claims that it poses a major threat to global health, revealed that 5,754 instances were discovered through screening, and 2,377 additional clinical diagnoses were reported last year.

 

Here’s everything you need to know about Candida auris:

 

How is Candida auris spread?

The majority of recorded instances of the fungus have occurred in medical facilities including hospitals and nursing homes. It is typically believed that it spreads through person-to-person contact or contact with contaminated surfaces.

 

What does the fungus do to the body?

The body can be impacted by Candida auris in two different ways. The fungus can also transmit to other people by living in a particular area, such as the mouth, rectum, or skin, a process known as "asymptomatic colonization," in which the patient exhibits no symptoms. It can also cause serious invasive infections when it gets into the bloodstream or wounds.

 

What signs and symptoms does Candida auris present?

Fever and chills that persist despite antibiotic therapy are the most typical signs of Candida auris. Nevertheless, because so many other prevalent diseases share the same symptoms, diagnosis is challenging. This is why improper diagnosis frequently results in ineffective treatment. To conclusively confirm the presence of the fungus, accurate diagnosis frequently necessitates sending a blood sample or sample from an infection site to a specialized lab.

 

Can you die from it?

Yes, in a nutshell, but numbers are hazy. Based on data from a small number of patients, the CDC estimates the mortality rate to be between 30 and 60 percent. Nonetheless, the group issues a warning because a large number of the fatalities also suffered from other severe conditions that may have raised the chance of death.

 

Can medication be used to treat Candida auris?

Even while echinocandins, which are antifungal medications, can be used to treat the majority of fungal infections, a surge in cases that are resistant to the three most common types of antifungals has alarmed scientists. As a result, doctors have been forced to combine various medications at large doses to treat patients, with variable degrees of effectiveness.

 

Who is most at risk?

According to the CDC, persons who already have various medical illnesses and those who have recently resided in healthcare facilities like nursing homes or intensive care units are frequently most vulnerable to the fungus. There is a risk of infection when invasive devices like breathing tubes enter the body. An individual may also be more vulnerable if they have recently undergone surgery, have a health condition like diabetes, or take antibiotics and antifungals frequently. Health officials issue a warning since the virus has been discovered in people of all ages.