Deadly Candida Auris Fungus Spreading at 'Alarming Rate' in the US, Says CDC

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Facts

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has called the fungus Candida auris an “urgent threat” after a new study showed it has been spreading at an “alarming rate” through healthcare facilities.1
  • According to the new study, US cases of the fungus more than tripled over just three years. Researchers say that the COVID-19 pandemic likely drove an increase in cases, as health workers already swamped with the virus likely shifted their focus away from disinfecting some other types of germs.2
  • Healthy people are not at risk from Candida auris, but those with weak immune systems, diabetes, who take a lot of antibiotics, or who use medical devices like ventilators, feeding tubes, or catheters face higher risk of suffering severe illness or dying from the infection.3
  • CDC epidemiologist Dr. Meghan Lyman has called the quick rise in cases "concerning," saying it "emphasizes the need for continued surveillance, expanded lab capacity, quicker diagnostic tests, and adherence to proven infection prevention and control."4
  • The fungus is dangerous because it is often resistant to the antifungal medications used to treat infections. Experts say that Candida auris is also difficult to identify without specialized laboratory technology and is frequently mistaken for other pathogens.1
  • The fungus was first identified in Asia in 2009, with the first case in the US occurring in 2013. Researchers say the number of cases in the US grew sharply between 2020 and 2021.2

Sources: 1USA Today, 2Associated Press, 3 CNBC, and 4NPR Online News.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by BBC News. The rise in cases of Candida auris fungus is extremely alarming. While dealing with one public health crisis, medical workers failed to prevent another. There is a reason why infection protocols exist and must be strictly adhered to regardless of wider developments in public health, even the emergence of pandemics.
  • Narrative B, as provided by ABC News. While news of a new "dangerous" fungus sounds very worrying, the majority of people need not be concerned about Candida auris. Good individual cleanliness practices (such as hand washing) will do nothing to prevent the spread of the fungus, which only poses a notable health risk to a minority of the population. Although medical professionals should be aware about the potential for infection and need to effectively diagnose this fungus, the CDC does not need to panic the majority in the US who will not be affected by this development.