Potentially Fatal Fungal Infection Spreading, Including Michigan

A drug-resistant fungal disease is sweeping the nation including right here in Michigan.

Even though the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) considers the fungal infection/disease a global health threat, many Americans have never heard of it.

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What is the Candida auris (C. auris) fungal infection?

C. auris is a type of yeast that can cause severe infections in humans. What makes C. auris stand out is its resistance to many commonly used antifungal medications, making treatment extremely challenging. It can lead to bloodstream infections, ear infections, wound infections, and other serious health issues, especially in individuals with weakened immune systems.

People can get C. auris on their skin and other body sites without getting sick or having an infection.

C. auris can cause deadly infections and is easily spread among hospital and nursing home patients. Any patient with C.auris regardless if they're infected, can shed C. auris onto surfaces around them which can spread to other patients.

Patients with invasive medical devices like breathing tubes, feeding tubes, catheters in a vein, or urinary catheters tend to be at increased risk of getting C. auris and developing an infection.

While this drug-resistant fungal infection can be deadly, especially in individuals with compromised immune systems or underlying health conditions, healthy individuals are less likely to be severely affected by it.

The most recent data available from 2022, shows that there were 2,377 reported clinical cases and 5,754 screening cases nationwide.