The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 3,000 Candida auris superbug fungus cases in 23 states so far this year. The CDC says the spread is concentrated in healthcare settings, where people with serious health problems are most vulnerable.
Texas had 706 cases as of July 18, while Michigan had 503 and Illinois had 366. The national count has risen from 2,882 cases in 2022 to 4,428 in 2023 and 6,197 in 2024.
Susan Huang on spread
Susan Huang, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of California Irvine School of Medicine, said the United States saw a doubling of positive screening cultures for Candida auris from 6,000 to 12,000 between 2022 and 2024. She said, "The rapid emergence around the world and the speed of spread in the U.S. is alarming".
Huang also said, "[Candida auris]is known to rapidly spread in both hospitals and nursing homes, which is why many public health departments are working with these facilities to report cases and perform screening". That screening helps separate people who are carrying the fungus from people with active infection, which is why case counts can rise as testing expands.
CDC case counts
The CDC said 88% of clinic cases of fungal infection were among people ages 45 and older, and most cases were in males. Most cases occurred in acute care facilities. The fungus can survive on surfaces for long periods of time before spreading to people in medical facilities through catheters, breathing tubes, or IVs.
Some strains are resistant to all types of medications normally used to treat fungal infections. Researchers have estimated that 30–60% of people with Candida auris illnesses have died, even though most healthy people can recover on their own.
People in healthcare settings
William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, said the spread is limited to certain medical facilities. For patients already navigating other serious health issues, the practical response is screening, reporting, and strict attention to devices and surfaces inside those facilities.
The CDC has continued monitoring as facilities screen for cases. The report leaves one central question open for readers: how many of the more than 3,000 reported cases this year represent active infections rather than screening detections.
