Dangerous drug-resistant fungus spreads across US, reaching 27 states

Thousands of cases of a potentially deadly, drug-resistant fungus have been reported across 27 states so far this year, according to provisional CDC data.(iStock)

The fungus, which can survive on surfaces for prolonged periods, is “highly transmissible between patients through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects,” the CDC states.It can spread through contaminated items such as bedrails, doorknobs and shared medical equipment.

C.auris can also be spread by people who carry the fungus but do not show symptoms, known as “colonization.”

California accounts for 873 cases — roughly one-quarter of the country’s total.

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Clinical cases do not necessarily represent infections.The CDC defines a clinical case as detection of C.auris in a specimen collected during the normal course ofmedical care. 

Some clinical specimens can come from sites where the presence of C.auris may represent colonization rather than a true infection.

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The health effects of the fungus can range from colonization without symptoms to potentially deadly invasive infections, including bloodstream infections.

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Those most at risk of infection include patients with severe underlying medical conditions.In particular, those who use breathing tubes, feeding tubes, IVs or catheters are more vulnerable, as are those who are hospitalized frequently or for long periods of time.

As of the week ending July 25, a total of 3,437 clinical cases of Candida auris (C.auris) had been documented in the U.S.so far in 2026.(iStock)

People without those risk factors are unlikely to become colonized with C.auris or develop an infection.

Dr.auris an “emerging problem of great concern.”

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“It is resistant to multipleantifungal drugs, and it tends to spread in hospital settings, including on equipment being used on immunocompromised and semi-immunocompromised patients, such as ventilators and catheters,�

“Unfortunately, symptoms such as fever, chills and aches may be ubiquitous, and it can be mistaken for other infections.”

Those most at risk of infection include patients with severe underlying medical conditions.In particular, those who use breathing tubes, feeding tubes, IVs or catheters are more vulnerable, as are those who are hospitalized frequently or for long periods of time.(iStock)

Invasive C.auris infections have been associated with mortality rates of 30% to 72%, although most affected patients are already seriously ill.This can make it difficult to determine how often the fungus is a direct cause of death.

Candida auris can be difficult to treat because it is often resistant to antifungal medications, leading the CDC to classify the fungus as an “urgentantimicrobial-resistance threat.”

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More than 90% of U.S.samples are resistant to fluconazole, a common antifungal treatment.Echinocandins, another family ofantifungals, are currently the main treatment option for C.auris, although some strains are resistant to all three main classes of antifungals.

“Major research” is ongoing to develop new treatments, according to Siegel.

“This is part of a much larger problem of emerging antibiotic resistance in the U.S.and around the world,” the physician previously cautioned.“At the same time, sterilization and disinfection measures in hospitals can be very helpful.”

�s Angelica Stabile contributed reporting.

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