Cases of a potentially deadly fungus have been reported in the United States for the first time ever, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
New cases of deadly Candida auris were reported in two locations, Washington D.C. and Texas, the CDC said Thursday.
The CDC reported five cases of “pan-resistant” C. auris, three in Washington, D.C., and two in Texas. All of the cases were acquired in facilities such as nursing homes and hospitals.
People with weak immune systems can get sick by breathing in the fungal spores. Most healthy people who inhale the fungal spores will not get sick.
The CDC has tracked Candida auris for years. But the new cases are “pan-resistant”, meaning the fungus is resistant to all classes of antifungal drugs.
The fungus is usually diagnosed in very sick people who are hospitalized or living in long-term care facilities.
Doctors and researchers are alarmed by the new case because there is currently no treatment for pan-resistant C. auris.
The cases were reported in the CDC’s online journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
In December 2020, the CDC added information on Fungal Diseases and COVID-19, including information on the spread of C. auris during the pandemic and invasive candidiasis in patients with COVID-19.
