Candida auris, discovered in Japan in 2009, has seen a concerning rise in the United States, with a 94 per cent increase in cases between 2020 and 2021.
Candida auris is making headlines as it spreads in the United States. Recently, four people in Washington state tested positive for this potentially deadly infection. This marks the state's first known outbreak, even though the initial case was identified in July last year. Notably, no deaths have been reported.
The first case was detected through proactive screening at Kindred Hospital Seattle, leading to the discovery of two additional cases and a linked case, initially testing negative for C. Auris upon admission. Investigations are ongoing to determine the infection's source.
What is Candida auris?
Candida auris poses a particular risk to patients with prolonged hospital stays and requiring medical interventions like breathing tubes or catheters. Experts believe that healthy individuals generally need not worry about C. auris infections.
Candida auris, discovered in Japan in 2009, has seen a concerning rise in the United States, with a 94 per cent increase in cases between 2020 and 2021. This fungus is problematic due to its resistance to common antifungal medications. Some infections are even resistant to all three primary antifungal categories.
What makes C. auris alarming is its ability to spread silently through colonization, showing no symptoms initially. However, invasive infections, occurring in 5 to 10 per cent of cases, can be life-threatening, with a high fatality rate within the first 30 days of symptoms.
Long-term acute care facility patients are most at risk. Although healthy individuals face minimal risk, severe infections have a 30 per cent to 60 per cent fatality rate.
Prevention involves strict measures, including isolation during treatment, as Candida auris cannot be treated at home. Medical care is essential, and antifungal drugs are the primary treatment.
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