If you end up in the hospital, beware of this deadly fungal infection
Name
Candida auris (the word auris is Latin for “ear” as the fungus was first discovered in the ear of a Japanese patient in 2009)
Transmission
- Candida auris is a type of yeast that causes severe, invasive infections throughout the body
- The yeast is particularly deadly because it does not respond to anti-fungal drugs (it is a highly drug-resistant strain of yeast)
- The yeast gets into urinary and respiratory tracts, causing blood and wound infection
- The exact transmission route is unknown
- Some evidence suggests it can spread from person to person and also through contact with contaminated surfaces but more research is needed
- As a result, it is hard to control its spread and it has caused outbreaks in hospitals
- Some evidence suggests it can spread from person to person and also through contact with contaminated surfaces but more research is needed
Geography
Since the 2009 discovery in Japan, Candida auris has been found in nine countries across four continents (US, South Korea, India, South Africa, Kuwait, Colombia, Venezuela, Pakistan, United Kingdom)
Incubation Period
Unknown
Signs and Symptoms
- Ear infections
- Bloodstream infections
- Wound infections
Note: It may also cause infections in the bladder and lungs
Diagnosis
The fungus is very difficult to identify with standard laboratory methods, but can be diagnosed with a fungal culture of blood or other body fluids
Treatment
Candida auris is resistant to antifungal drugs, which makes it so deadly
Prognosis
- 60% of patients with the infection have died
- Outcomes are worse when patients have other medical conditions or illnesses
Prevention: What Can You Do?
- Although the infection can affect anyone of any age, specific risk factors include diabetes, recent surgery, antibiotic and antifungal use, and using a catheter so those people should remain vigilant when in hospital environments
Elizabethkingia In the News
Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/candidiasis/candida-auris-qanda.html
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/candida-auris
