Stephen Newcomb and The Hill
7 hours ago
A view of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia on April 23, 2020. (Photo by Tami Chappell / AFP) (Photo by TAMI CHAPPELL/AFP via Getty Images)
(The Hill) – Candida auris, a rare and sometimes fatal fungal disease, is spreading across the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned this week, citing a “dramatic” increase in cases.
According to the CDC, Candida auris A type of yeast that can cause serious illness in hospitalized patients. According to health officials, it mainly affects the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, refuses treatment with conventional antifungal drugs, and has a mortality rate of up to 60%.
There will be at least 2,377 confirmed cases in the United States in 2022, according to the WHO. CDC statisticsThe total jumped from 1,474 cases in 2021 and continues to climb rapidly from 2020, when there were only 757 confirmed cases.
Health officials say fungal resistance to antifungal drugs is “particularly concerning” and that these drugs are often the first treatment option, requiring research into better protection and preventive measures against fungi. said.
“The increase in echinocandin-resistant cases and the evidence of transmission are particularly concerning because echinocandins are the first-line therapy for invasive Candida infections, including Cauris.” Annals of Internal Medicine Said. “These findings highlight the need to improve detection and infection control practices to prevent the spread of hearing loss.”
The disease is now being tracked in half the states in the United States, and CDC officials said the increased focus on the COVID-19 virus means there has been less emphasis on screening. The coronavirus pandemic likely exacerbated the spread of the fungus, he said. for C. auris.
Last month, Mississippi health officials said fungal infections could be the cause of four recent deaths in the state. A spokesperson for the Mississippi Department of Health confirmed that he has had at least 12 infections since November. NBC News.
In November, Nevada health officials said Linked 63 deaths in the state to C. auris.
The virus was first reported in Japan in 2009, but researchers traced the first strain in South Korea in 1996. This fungus does not usually pose a risk to young people.
