Candida auris cases rise in US hospitals, CDC warns of drug‑resistant threat

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that, as of July 25, 2024, 3,437 clinical cases of the fungus Candida auris have been confirmed in 27 states, up from a total of 4,290 cases recorded for the entire previous year. The pathogen, first identified in Japan in 2009 and in the United States in 2016, spreads through contact with contaminated objects and people and can persist on surfaces despite routine cleaning.

Candida auris is especially dangerous for hospitalized patients and those in nursing facilities, often affecting individuals with underlying health conditions. The fungus is frequently multidrug‑resistant, rendering the three main classes of antifungal medications ineffective against some strains. Infection can occur via colonization of the skin or, more seriously, through bloodstream infection after the organism enters through a skin break. Detection is typically performed with swabs of the armpit or groin. The CDC classifies the organism as an urgent, critical public‑health threat.