Deadly drug-resistant fungus spreads in GA, 26 other states. Here’s who is at risk
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According to recent studies, a drug-resistant infection is on the rise and is currently spreading in 27 U.S. states, with mortality rates ranging from 30% to 60%.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) first reported the infection in 2016, but the spread of the infection has recently ramped up. Currently, there are 7,000 people in the U.S. with the illness and numbers are seemingly increasing rapidly. Here’s what else to know:
What is the infection and how do people get it?
The infection is called Candida auris and it is a type of yeast that spreads in sick patients in healthcare settings, as stated on the CDC’s website.
The yeast can form a superficial skin infection and enter through the ears, but it can also be severe and life-threatening if it enters the bloodstream.
The infection can also be resistant to medications, “meaning the fungus develops the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill it. That means the germs are not killed and continue to grow. Resistant infections can be difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat,” said CDC experts.
So, how do people get it?
Candida auris spreads in healthcare settings because it can develop in breathing or feeding tubes as well as catheters.
The National Library of Medicine experts shared that the following are also risk factors for contracting Candida auris:
- Immunosuppressive state (eg, human immunodeficiency virus, hematologic malignancy, solid tumors, transplant recipients, neutropenia, chemotherapy, and corticosteroid therapy)
- Diabetes mellitus
- Chronic kidney disease
- Exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics or previous exposure to antifungal agents within 30 days
- Blood transfusion
- Hemodialysis
- Surgery within 30 days
- Admission to intensive care units
Symptoms of the infection can vary based on the infection site, but some symptoms are fever, chills and fatigue. However, some infected patients are asymptomatic.
Experts at the National Library of Medicine said that Candida auris can take days or months to colonize and some patients “may shed the fungus into their surroundings,” passing from person to person or from contaminated equipment, making it extremely difficult to identify and track.
Currently, Georgia has 377 cases of the infection, but Nevada has the most cases at 1605.
How can it be prevented?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, healthcare workers should thoroughly wash hands, disinfect surfaces, ensure that people only take antibiotics when they have bacterial infections, sterilize equipment, screen patients and quarantine people with the infection.
Do you have more questions? Let me know in the comments or email me at cmadden@mcclatchy.com
