Fungus poses deadly health risk – Jagwire.

The Concerning Candida Auris Fungus

The Candida auris fungus has been making headlines due to its ability to cause severe infections that can lead to long-term health issues and even death. According to Jose Vazquez, MD, division chief of infectious diseases at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, there is good reason for concern.

Multi-Drug Resistance

The biggest fear associated with Candida auris is that it is multi-drug resistant. This means that it is resistant to many different drugs, making it difficult to treat effectively.

Challenges with Detection and Containment

Another challenge with the Candida auris fungus is that it is difficult to detect and specialized lab equipment is needed. Once the fungus gets into a hospital setting, such as an intensive care unit (ICU), it can be hard to stop. Unfortunately, C. auris is also highly contagious, and many patients may go unconfirmed, which is a significant concern for healthcare officials.

Impact of the Pandemic

Jose Vazquez thinks that there has been a significant impact of the pandemic on the spread of Candida auris. Many patients that were infected with COVID became critical and had to be admitted to the ICU, placed on mechanical ventilators, and received antibiotics and central lines for prolonged periods. These are all critical risk factors for Candida infections.

Not a Threat Outside of Healthcare Settings

The good news is that C. auris is not contagious or a risk outside of healthcare settings. You would need to be already susceptible, on antibiotics, on mechanical ventilation or have been in the ICU for a prolonged period of time to be at risk of contracting Candida auris

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