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Mahmoud Bennett Social Media Reporter/Producer
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CDC: Deadly Candida auris fungus spreading across US health facilities

Mahmoud Bennett Social Media Reporter/Producer
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Candida auris, a potentially deadly fungus that is resistant to drugs, is spreading quickly in U.S. health care facilities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned this week. According to federal data, clinical cases of the fungus almost doubled in 2021.

The CDC noted that the disease primarily affects older individuals and those with weakened immune systems, especially those who have been hospitalized for an extended period. Candida auris may not always cause infection and can be carried on a patient’s skin, making it easier to spread to others. However, when it does cause an infection, the agency said, it may be difficult to identify because it most commonly occurs in patients who are already ill with other diseases and showing symptoms.

The CDC stated that the most common symptoms of the fungus are fever and chills that do not improve after antibiotics.

Based on CDC data from a limited number of patients, 30-60% of individuals with Candida auris infections have died. However, “many of these people had other serious illnesses that also increased their risk of death,” the agency added.

Individuals who are young and healthy and whose immune systems can fight off the fungus are usually not at risk. The CDC is notifying U.S. health care facilities to be aware of Candida auris in their patients.

Reported cases of Candida auris have increased from 53 in 2016 to 1,474 cases in 2021. There were 2,377 confirmed cases last year. The fungus has reportedly been found in half of all U.S. states, and health officials believe the pandemic has likely exacerbated its spread.

Candida auris was first reported in Japan in 2009, but researchers have tracked the earliest strain to South Korea in 1996.

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A DRUG-RESISTANT AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY FUNGUS IS SPREADING IN US HEALTH CARE FACILITIES – THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE CDC WHICH SAYS THE FUNGUS KNOWN AS CANDIDA AURIS NEARLY DOUBLED IN 2021 

HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THE DISEASE IS RESISTANT TO TRADITIONAL ANTIFUNGAL MEDICATIONS AND THAT BETWEEN 30 – 60% OF THOSE INFECTED HAVE DIED, BASED ON INFORMATION FROM A LIMITED POOL OF PATIENTS

BUT BEFORE YOU PICTURE THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE SCENE FROM HBO’S HIT SERIES ‘THE LAST OF US’ – IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THE FUNGUS PRIMARILY AFFECTS THOSE WITH ALREADY WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEMS AND OLDER PEOPLE – PATIENTS AT THE HIGHEST RISK ARE THOSE WHO’VE BEEN IN A HOSPITALIZED SETTING FOR A LONG TIME

CDC NUMBERS SHOW THAT CASES OF CANDIDA AURIS WENT FROM 53 IN 2016 TO OVER FOURTEEN HUNDRED CASES IN 2021 – AND LAST YEAR THERE WERE AT LEAST 2,377 CONFIRMED CASES

THE FUNGUS HAS BEEN TRACKED IN HALF OF ALL US STATES AND HEALTH OFFICIALS BELIEVE THE PANDEMIC LIKELY EXACERBATED THE SPREAD

WHILE THERE IS SOME CONCERN – HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THE FUNGUS DOESN’T USUALLY PRESENT A RISK TO YOUNG HEALTHY PEOPLE WHOSE IMMUNE SYSTEMS CAN FIGHT IT OFF 

CANDIDA AURIS WAS FIRST REPORTED IN JAPAN IN 2009 – THOUGH RESEARCHERS LATER TRACKED AN EARLIER STRAIN TO SOUTH KOREA DATING BACK TO 1996…..

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