Candida auris, a deadly fungus, is on the rise in hospitals, senior facilities

Cases of Candida auris, a dangerous, drug-resistant fungus, are rising in hospitals and senior care centers across the U.S.

According to UC Davis Health, C. auris is still considered rare, but it kills more than 1 in 3 people infected – and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cases were up 64% in 2023 compared to 2022. 

What is Candida auris? 

Big picture view:

Candida auris is a type of yeast that can cause severe illness and spreads easily among patients in healthcare facilities, according to the CDC. C. auris can cause a range of infections from (skin) infections to more severe, life-threatening infections, such as bloodstream infections.

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C. auris can infect different parts of the body like the blood, wounds and ears. 

By the numbers:

Candida auris was first discovered in the U.S. in 2016, with 51 cases reported. 

There were 4,513 cases of C. auris in the U.S. in 2023, up from 2,928 the year before. 

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In the U.S., more than 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections are reported each year, with more than 35,000 deaths. 

Candida auris symptoms

Symptoms of a C. auris infection depend on where the infection is and how serious it is. Symptoms may be similar to symptoms of infections caused by bacteria like fever or chills. 

"There is not a common set of symptoms specific for C. auris infections," the CDC says. 

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People can also have C. auris on their skin and other body parts without having symptoms. This is called colonization. People who are colonized can spread C. auris onto surfaces, objects and other patients. C. auris usually remains on a patient's skin or body sites for a long time, even if they never have symptoms. 

Why is Candida auris so dangerous?

C. auris is often resistant to antifungal medications, "meaning the fungus develops the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill it."

If the germs don’t die, they’ll continue to grow. 

The CDC says most infections can be treated with a class of antifungal medications called echinocandins, but some C. auris strains are resistant to all three main classes of antifungal medicines, including echinocandins. 

Who’s most at risk for Candida auris? 

The CDC says C. auris mostly affects patients with serious underlying medical conditions and people who need complex medical care and invasive medical devices. Invasive (and often medically necessary) devices that can carry C. auris include: 

• Breathing tubes
• Feeding tubes
• Catheters in a vein
• Urinary catheters

Healthy people who aren’t hospitalized or seriously ill generally aren’t at risk for C. auris.

Most of the time, it is unnecessary to screen or test healthcare providers or family members.

"Most patients who become sick with C. auris were already very sick," the CDC explains. "When patients with C. auris die, it is hard to know how much C. auris contributed to their death compared to pre-existing illnesses."