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5 clusters · 31 sources · 8 days · First seen · Last updated

Candida auris outbreak in US hospitals

Overview

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to monitor Candida auris, a drug-resistant fungus, as it spreads through healthcare settings. As of mid-July 2026, the agency reported over 3,000 clinical cases. While one tally noted 3,130 cases in 23 states, a preliminary release cited 3,437 cases across 27 states, including 873 cases in California. Texas maintains the highest infection count with 706 cases, followed by Michigan (503) and Illinois (366).

Cases are primarily concentrated in hospitals, long-term acute-care facilities, and skilled-nursing homes, specifically affecting patients with invasive devices like catheters or ventilators. Laboratory data indicate high resistance levels: over 95% of isolates resist fluconazole, approximately 15% resist amphotericin B, and roughly 1% resist echinocandins, with fewer than 1% being pan-resistant. Although case numbers rise annually, the CDC notes the growth rate has slowed since 2022.

Recent research has provided insight into how the fungus persists and evades the immune system. A study in Science by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco suggests C. auris settles into hair follicles, stimulating interferon gamma to prevent the skin from clearing the infection.

Furthering efforts to combat the pathogen, researchers from institutions including the Max Planck Institute and the University of Exeter published a study in Angewandte Chemie. They identified a specific sugar structure on the fungus’s surface, which has led to the development of a synthetic molecule that could serve as a basis for vaccines, protective antibodies, and rapid diagnostic tests similar to lateral flow devices.

Entities

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · Candida auris · University of California, San Francisco · Michigan · Texas

Timeline

  1. 6 days ago

    [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Candida auris research reveals new vaccine targets and immune evasion tactics

    Scientists have identified a sugar molecule for potential Candida auris vaccines and discovered how the drug-resistant fungus hides in hair follicles to evade the human immune system.

  2. 7 days ago

    [HEALTH] 4 sources
    Candida auris fungus spreads across 27 US states

    The drug-resistant fungus Candida auris is spreading across 27 US states, with high case counts in California, Texas, and Michigan, posing a significant threat to hospital and care facility patients.

  3. 9 days ago

    [HEALTH] 4 sources
    Researchers discover how drug-resistant fungus Candida auris survives on skin

    Scientists have discovered that the drug-resistant fungus Candida auris survives on skin by hiding in hair follicles and manipulating the immune system, offering new hope for targeted treatments.

  4. 12 days ago

    [HEALTH] 7 sources
    Candida auris cases rise in US hospitals, CDC warns of drug‑resistant threat

    CDC reports 3,437 US Candida auris cases in 27 states, labeling the drug‑resistant fungus a critical public‑health threat in hospitals and nursing homes.

  5. 14 days ago

    [HEALTH] 16 sources
    Candida auris infections exceed 3,000 cases in U.S., CDC reports

    CDC reports over 3,000 Candida auris infections in 23 U.S. states, mainly in hospitals; Texas leads with 706 cases, most strains resist fluconazole, and the growth rate has slowed since 2022.

Sources

6abc.com · abc13.com · abc7chicago.com · actualidad.rt.com · archynetys.com · collectionshub.com · complex.com · cremation.com · dailyhealthpost.com · diario.mx · eldiariodechihuahua.mx · foxsportsradio.iheart.com · gizmodo.it · igd.com.tr · independent.co.uk · it-boltwise.de · kion546.com · laopinion.com · liveblogwp.wtop.com · livenowfox.com · microbiologiaitalia.it · myfoxdetroit.com · pulptastic.com · sbctv.gr · scitechdaily.com · studyfinds.org · thedailygopher.com · thehealthsite.com · timesnownews.com · tribuneonlineng.com · wiznation.com

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history