Candida auris outbreak: a Superbug fungus has made hundreds sick, according to the CDC



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A superb drug-resistant mushroom has sickened nearly 600 people in the United States in recent years, including more than 300 patients in the state of New York, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Candida auris, which attacks people with weakened immune systems, can be deadly.

CBS New York reports that an elderly man died of fungus last year at Mount Sinai Hospital as a result of abdominal surgery.

"Most cases of C. auris in the United States have been detected in the New York, New Jersey and Chicago areas," the CDC said in a statement.

The mushroom was seen in the United States for the first time in 2013. Dr. Lynn Sosa, Connecticut's Associate Epidemiologist, told The New York Times that she considered Candida auris "rather unbeatable and hard to identify".

By the end of February, a total of 587 cases had been confirmed nationwide, most in the state of New York, where there were 309. In Illinois, there were 144 confirmed cases and the New Jersey, 104.

Symptoms of Candida auris

According to the CDC, the symptoms of the fungus can be difficult to detect because patients are often already sick and only a laboratory test can identify the superbug. Candida auris can cause different types of infections, including blood infection, wound infection and ear infections.

People who have recently undergone surgery, live in nursing homes, or have a breathing tube, a feeding tube, or a central venous catheter appear to be the most exposed.

"According to information provided by a limited number of patients, 30 to 60% of those infected with C. auris have died.However, many of these people had other serious illnesses also increasing their risk of death," he said. the CDC.

Treat Candida auris

While most Candida auris infections can be treated with antifungal medications, the CDC is concerned that some have been shown to be resistant to the three major classes of antifungal medications. "In this situation, several high-dose antifungal medications may be needed to treat the infection," said the CDC.

The CDC has more information available on its website.

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