THE CDC WARNS OF A RAPIDLY SPREADING DEADLY FUNGUS

A fungus called Candida auris, a yeast strain, is known to cause fungal infections and even multi-organ failure in severe cases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an alert for an antimicrobial-resistant fungus that has been alarming rate in U.S. healthcare facilities. And no, the end of humanity is not upon us.

The CDC notes that fungal infection cases from Candida auris (a strain of yeast) tripled nationwide from 476 to 1,471 between 2019 and 2021.

• The timing suggests that the increased strain on the healthcare systems because of COVID might have worsened the spread.
• The exhaustion of healthcare workers, equipment shortages, worn-out hospital infrastructure, increased antimicrobial use, and the backlog of healthcare procedures appeared as the major stressors.

The crippled state of the healthcare infrastructure post-COVID is highlighted here. However, patient movements and control might also have been at play.

• The case counts have presumably increased because of poor general infection prevention and control (IPC) practices.
• The screenings for C. auris tripled between 2020 and 2021, states the CDC, which could account for the threefold increase in cases.

A total of 3,270 clinical cases were reported through 2021, with 7,413 screening also detecting the presence of the fungus.

The HBO drama “The Last of Us” brought scads of attention to fungi taking over humanity. The show draws inspiration from the real-life cordyceps fungus — which actually creates “zombie ants.”

• The new findings are “worrisome,” told Dr. Waleed Javaid, an epidemiologist and an infectious disease expert and director of infection prevention and control at Mount Sinai Downtown in New York, to NBC.
• “But we don’t want people who watched ‘The Last of Us” to think we’re all going to die,” he added. “This is an infection that occurs in extremely ill individuals who are usually sick with a lot of other issues.”

While fatal to humans, Candida auris infections are not foreshadowing an imminent zombie apocalypse.

• The yeast can enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body – including the nose, lungs, heart, liver, and brain.
• It can lead to bloodstream infections (fungemia), wound infections, and ear infections. The condition can lead to multi-organ system failure and eventual death.
• While the CDC does not track deaths caused by C. auris, estimates suggest that about 30-60 percent of people infected have died.

The risk factor for catching the infection and eventual complications is also greater for certain people.

• Patients in need of catheters, feeding tubes, or those in need of other lines and tubes inserted into their bodies seem to be at the highest risk.
• Additionally, conditions like diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, a compromised immune system, or exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics or antifungal agents between the last 30 days are at an increased risk.

The major challenge in treating the condition lies with the fact that C. auris is multidrug-resistant, or resistant to several antifungal drugs commonly used to treat Candida infections.

• According to a study, C. auris is resistant to azoles (fluconazole), polyene (amphotericin B), and echinocandins (anidulafungin and micafungin) to a certain degree.
• Additionally, it is difficult to diagnose the infection with standard lab testing, which could lead to improper treatment and management.
• The rise in echinocandin-resistant cases and evidence of transmission is particularly concerning, as it is the “first-line therapy” for treating Candida infections.

With the staggering cost of the COVID-19 pandemic expected to reach $12.5 trillion by 2024, the government is expected to do its best to contain any infection from rising.