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- A fungus called candida auris is spreading around the world at an alarming rate. He is resistant to medication.
- Candida auris outbreaks often occur in hospitals and other health care settings where the most vulnerable people, or those with weakened immune systems, typically reside.
- In a new editorial published in Annals of Internal Medicine, a group of doctors asked the health care community to improve its infection control practices and further study the dangerous fungus to halt its spread .
- As of May 31, 2019, there were 685 confirmed candida auris cases in the United States alone.
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A deadly fungus discovered in Japan in 2009 has spread at an alarming rate around the world, worrying health experts because of its ability to resist treatments that previously were able to stop it.
Now a group of doctors is sounding the alarm, claiming that the spread of this fungus, called candida auris, should be a major concern for the health care community because of its hard-to-treat nature, according to its editorial. Monday in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Candida auris is a drug resistant fungus that has learned to evolve so quickly that it can not be stopped with the antifungal treatments available today. It is one of the many species of candida, a type of yeast that is not always dangerous. In fact, one type, Candida albicans, is present in the human mouth, intestines and throat without causing infections, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Other types, however, can lead to infection if the yeast enters the blood or organs of a person.
The outbreaks of Candida auris are particularly worrying as they often occur in hospitals and other health care settings where the most vulnerable people, or those with weakened immune systems, usually reside. According to the CDC, the fungus can live for weeks on both walls and other surfaces, like a piece of furniture, which is a major but invisible threat.
"This is an urgent threat because many strains are resistant to at least two of the top three categories of antifungal drugs used to treat Candida infections, and because this causes outbreaks in healthcare settings." of health unequaled by other species of Candida, "the doctors wrote.
As of May 31, 2019, there were 685 confirmed cases of candida auris in the United States alone, but Colombia, India, and South Korea are also coping with outbreaks.
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Existing technology does not detect candida cases auris early enough to stop it
According to the editors, candida auris has become a threat of such magnitude, largely because we do not have the technology to identify it in its infancy.
"Candida auris can often be confused with another yeast when only biochemical methods are used," they wrote, referring to a common laboratory test for living organisms. The authors added that "the identification systems are improving".
If Candida auris is misidentified, she may not be properly contained and spread, killing people in her path.
The fungus spreads quickly and is often undetectable until it is too late
Since most people who contract the fungus are already sick and hospitalized, the symptoms of candida auris, such as fever and chills, can be confused with the symptoms of the disease that led them to the hospital.
In addition, the fungus does not always affect the same area of the body. In some cases, candida auris could result in a blood infection, but in other cases, a wound infection or ears.
According to the CDC, healthy people are not usually infected with candida auris.
Due to the unique and unique circumstances that allow the fungus to develop, physicians believe that the best way to prevent its spread is to do more research on candida auris while working harder in hospitals and other health care facilities. to keep infected patients away. -infectés.
In addition, staying informed about sanitation measures, such as handwashing and disinfecting areas where patients spend time, could prevent spread, doctors wrote.
For patients, washing their hands and reminding health professionals to do the same is the best way to protect themselves from candida auris.
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