Deadly fungus, with NO treatment options, is spreading throughout hospitals
In this DML Report…
Health officials are sounding the alarm over Candida auris, a deadly, drug-resistant fungus surging in U.S. hospitals, with cases doubling annually since 2016, reaching 4,514 infections across 38 states in 2023. First detected in U.S. hospitals in 2016 with 52 cases across four states, the yeast thrives in healthcare settings, colonizing skin, medical equipment, and surfaces, resisting most disinfectants and antifungal drugs. The CDC labeled it an “urgent threat” in 2023, noting its 33% mortality rate, with Georgia and Florida now seeing rapid increases, particularly among vulnerable patients with prolonged hospital stays or invasive devices like catheters.
At Jackson Health System in Florida, which serves 120,000 patients yearly, Candida auris cases spiked from five in 2019 to 115 in 2023—a 2,000% jump in five years—mostly detected in blood cultures, with a notable rise in soft tissue infections since 2022. The fungus poses a severe risk to the sickest patients, entering the bloodstream through cuts or medical devices, causing fever and chills unresponsive to antibiotics, and in critical cases, life-threatening organ infections. Its resistance to standard treatments and ability to linger on hospital surfaces make it a persistent threat, nearly impossible to eradicate once established.
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Researchers warn that Candida auris’s rapid spread signals a growing public health crisis, with 10,788 total U.S. cases recorded from 2016 to 2023, led by New York (1,795), Illinois (1,627), and California (1,566). The Jackson study, concluded on March 28, stresses the expanding infection sources and calls for heightened hospital vigilance. With no effective cure and a third of victims dying, officials urge stronger infection control measures to protect at-risk patients, as the fungus continues its alarming climb in healthcare facilities nationwide.