Michigan’s Got 149 Cases of This Deadly Fungus—And It’s Still Spreading

It’s been more than two years since we first told you about a deadly fungus spreading across the U.S. However, this rare, drug-resistant infection was first detected more than a decade ago, and it is still spreading in Michigan.

Candida Auris Is Still a Problem for Michiganders

Candida auris first showed up globally in 2009 when it was identified in Japan. According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. saw its first case in 2016, and Michigan didn’t get its first reported case until May 2021. Then we reported it to you in 2023. Well, here we are in 2025, and it's still a slow-growing problem.

According to the CDC's latest data, there were over 4,500 cases in 2023, with 149 of those cases (actual infections) right here in Michigan. Since the first case was reported in the U.S. in 2016, the number of cases has significantly increased year after year.

Melissa Nolan, an epidemiology and biostatistics professor at the University of South Carolina:

If you get infected with this pathogen that’s resistant to any treatment, there’s no treatment we can give you to help combat it. You’re all on your own.

 

Candida auris symptoms

Symptoms of Candida auris infection include fever, chills, extreme tiredness, low blood pressure, high heart rate, and low body temperature. In some cases, individuals may also experience pain, pressure, or a feeling of fullness in the ear, especially if the infection affects the ear.

Experts don't believe Candida auris is spread through the air. It's usually transmitted from person to person or from contaminated surfaces.

The bottom line is Candida auris is still active and considered a public health threat.