The CDC announced that cases of the drug-resistant fungus Candida auris are increasing at an “alarming” rate in U.S. hospitals.
In 2016, only a small number of individuals with Candida auris were reported to the CDC each year for several years after the first American cases were identified.
However, recent CDC data published in the Annals of Internal Medicine indicates that the rate of cases has increased.
Thirty states plus the District of Columbia reported Candida auris cases as of 2021, a 95% increase from 756 in 2020. Preliminary figures indicate that 2,377 cases may be reported for 2022.
According to CDC epidemiologist Dr. Meghan Lyman, “We’re continuing to see the number of cases increase.
Candida auris is a type of yeast that frequently has no symptoms in healthy individuals. Yet, the fungus poses a significant concern to individuals already weak from other conditions since it spreads throughout the body’s systems and causes severe and invasive complications.
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