Cases of infection with super-resistant fungus on the rise in the U.S.

Infections with the Candida auris fungusa super drug-resistant and potentially fatal microorganism, grew dramatically in the United States between 2019 and 2021, according to a study published Monday in the trade journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

Specifically, the investigators warn of an increase in cases that are. resistant to echinocandinsthe main drug used to treat Candida fungal infections.

Such cases were three times more frequent in 2021 than in the previous two years, according to the study, which analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as those collected by health authorities at the local and state levels.

The data show an increase of percentage growth in infections with Candida auris, which increased from 44 % in 2019 to 95 % in 2021.

For the researchers, who work for the CDC, the increase may be related to the difficulties that the covid-19 pandemic has produced in the healthcare system, such as the shortage of health care workers or the use of more antimicrobial drugs.

The report emphasizes that the Candida auriswhich was first detected in the U.S. in 2016, is categorized as “urgent threat” by the CDC, due to its drug resistance and high mortality rate.

The majority of cases occur in healthcare facilities, particularly among patients who have been hospitalized for a long time or who are connected to mechanical ventilatorsthe authors explain.