A dangerous drug-resistant fungus called Candida auris is spreading quickly in hospitals and long-term care facilities, according to a new scientific review. Researchers say the fungus is hard to control because it can live on skin, survive on medical equipment and linger on hospital surfaces. U.S. health officials now classify it as an urgent antimicrobial threat as cases continue to rise nationwide.
C. auris is especially dangerous for people who are already very ill, including those with weakened immune systems, breathing tubes or catheters. It is often misidentified in labs, which can delay treatment and infection-control measures. The threat is made worse by the limited number of antifungal drugs available and the fungus’s growing resistance to many of them, leaving doctors with few effective options in severe cases.
Researchers say there is some reason for cautious optimism. New antifungal drugs are in late-stage testing, and other studies suggest the fungus may have a weakness in how it uses iron to survive. For now, experts stress that strict hygiene, faster detection and better monitoring are critical to slowing its spread, especially in health care settings, while scientists work to expand treatment options.
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