Drug-resistant Candida auris fungus spreads in some health facilities

NEW YORK – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is predicting that a deadly, drug-resistant fungus is spreading around health facilities and is "a serious threat to the health of the world".

Candida auris attacks people whose immune system is weakened by infecting the bloodstream. It is difficult to identify with standard technology.

According to the CDC, more than 587 cases have been confirmed in the United States, mainly in New York, New Jersey and Chicago.

Dr. Todd Ellerin, an infectious disease specialist, told ABC News that the fungus is resistant to typical cleaning agents used by hospitals and health facilities.

"If we do not change the way we clean the rooms, the Candida will stay in. It could potentially infect the next person who enters the room," said Ellerin.

The CDC says early detection of C. auris is essential to contain its spread in health facilities.

People who have recently spent time in nursing homes and whose lines and tubes enter the body (such as respiratory tubes, feeding tubes and central venous catheters) appear to be the most at risk of C. auris infection.

The CDC adds that infections have been reported in patients of all ages, from premature to elderly.

The rare and deadly fungal disease appeared in the United States in 2016. It first appeared in Japan in 2009, according to the CDC, and has spread to more than 20 countries.

For more information on C. auris, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.