Key Takeaway:
- CDC reports 3,437 Candida auris cases across 27 states as of July 25, with growth slowing compared to last year.
- The drug-resistant fungus mainly threatens hospitalized and immunocompromised patients, while healthy people face low risk.
- Most infections remain treatable with echinocandins, but ongoing surveillance and infection control remain critical.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 3,437 Candida auris cases across 27 states as of July 25, with health officials warning the drug-resistant fungus remains a serious threat in health care facilities despite slower annual growth.
The CDC says 3,437 cases of Candida auris, or C. auris, have been identified nationwide through the week ending July 25. The total is about 1,000 fewer than the 4,290 cases reported during the same period last year, indicating that while cases continue to increase annually, the pace of growth has slowed since 2022.
California has reported the highest number of cases this year with 873, followed by Texas with 433 and Tennessee with 283, according to CDC data.
The agency says C. auris is a type of yeast that can cause severe infections, particularly among patients who are already seriously ill. The fungus spreads easily in hospitals, nursing homes and other health care settings, where it can survive on surfaces such as bedrails and doorknobs for extended periods.
Health officials emphasize that rising Candida Auris Cases do not necessarily indicate faster transmission. Instead, the fungus continues its gradual expansion as surveillance and detection improve.
“Candida auris cases continue to rise each year, but the rate of increase has slowed since 2022,” the CDC said.
The fungus can cause a range of illnesses, from skin infections to life-threatening bloodstream infections. Patients who carry the fungus without symptoms can also spread it to others.
According to the CDC, healthy people generally face little risk of infection. Those with weakened immune systems, people who are immunocompromised, and patients with medical devices such as catheters or breathing tubes remain the most vulnerable to severe disease.
Drug-Resistant Fungus Poses Highest Risk in Health Care Facilities
One of the greatest concerns surrounding Candida Auris Cases is the fungus’s resistance to multiple antifungal medications.
A CDC analysis published earlier this year examined 8,033 C. auris samples collected in 2022 and 2023. Researchers found that more than 95% of samples were resistant to fluconazole, a commonly used first-line antifungal drug. About 15% were resistant to amphotericin B, while 1% were resistant to echinocandins. Fewer than 1% showed resistance to all three major antifungal drug classes.
Despite growing drug resistance, the CDC says most infections can still be treated with echinocandins, which remain the recommended first-line therapy.
Experts Say Healthy People Face Low Risk Despite Rising Case Counts
Studies estimate the mortality rate associated with Candida Auris Cases ranges from 30% to 60%. However, the CDC cautions that many affected patients already have serious underlying medical conditions.
“When patients with C. auris die, it is hard to know how much C. auris contributed to their death compared to other pre-existing illnesses,” the agency said.
C. auris was first discovered by Korean researchers in 1996 and formally identified as a new species in Japan in 2009. Since then, public health agencies have monitored its spread because of its ability to persist in health care environments and resist treatment.
The CDC continues to recommend strict infection-control measures in hospitals and long-term care facilities to limit transmission among high-risk patients as Candida Auris Cases continue to be monitored nationwide.
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