Texas reported the most Candida auris cases in the United States as of July 25, with 1,148 cases. The yeast can cause severe infections and spreads easily in healthcare settings, especially among people who are already medically vulnerable.
That total came from 715 screening cases and 433 clinical cases. Across the United States, 6,669 Candida auris cases had been reported as of July 25, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Texas and CDC counts
The CDC classifies cases two ways. Clinical cases involve people tested while symptomatic, while screening cases involve people tested to see whether they have been colonized with the fungus. In Texas, the split shows the state’s total came from both people with symptoms and people who carried the fungus without them.
California led the nation in clinical cases with 873 as of July 25. Texas had 1,148 reported cases overall, but its clinical total was lower than California’s because the Texas count also included screening results. CDC reports more than 3,000 Candida Auris Superbug Fungus cases in 23 states, showing the fungus has spread beyond one region.
Risk in healthcare settings
People with weakened immune systems from an underlying health condition are at increased risk of a Candida auris infection, as are people with a breathing tube, central venous line, feeding tube or catheter. The fungus can also move from objects and surfaces in healthcare settings, including from people who have no symptoms.
The CDC says handwashing, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, isolation, special disinfectants, gloves and gowns can help limit spread. Because C. auris can live for a long time on surfaces, those steps matter most where patients are already exposed to shared equipment and close contact.
Texas clinical split
The Texas Department of State Health Services said that as of Wednesday, Texas had 438 clinical cases and 743 screening cases. That state update gives a current snapshot of how the total is divided between active illness detection and colonization screening.
The July 25 total was lower than the 7,779 cases reported at the same point last year, even though the first U.S. case was reported in 2016 and the count has continued to rise over time. The open question is why Texas had the highest reported total as of July 25, whether that reflects more screening, more transmission, or both.
