Cases of Candida Auris have appeared in University of Kentucky hospitals, marking the first sightings of the fungus in this area of Kentucky.
“The UK Chandler Hospital in Lexington says it has five patients with a fungus, Candida auris, that is resistant to treatment,” The Kentucky Lantern said.
Candida auris (sometimes referred to as C. Auris) is a type of yeast that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said can make people severely ill.
“It is often resistant to antifungal treatments, which means that the medications that are designed to kill the fungus and stop infections do not work,” the CDC said.
The fungus “spreads easily” through patients in health care settings, like a hospital.
“C. auris has caused outbreaks in healthcare facilities and can spread through contact with affected patients and contaminated surfaces or equipment,” the University of Texas Medical Branch said. “Good hand hygiene and cleaning in healthcare facilities is important because C. auris can live on surfaces for several weeks.”
The Kentucky Lantern reports that UK’s currently infected patients are isolated on the same floor.
“Currently, all cases have the fungus on their skin, but it is not causing an active infection, and there are no active infections with Candida auris at UK HealthCare,” UK said in a statement according to WLEX. “Our team quickly identified the pathogen and began isolation and disinfection precautions to prevent further transmission.”
From Jan. 2022 to Dec. 2022, the CDC reports that there were 2,377 clinical cases and 5,754 screening cases in the United States.
“Candida auris is an emerging fungus that presents a serious global health threat,” the CDC said.
During that time measured, Kentucky had 22 reported cases, making it a mid-level state. The most cases were reported in Nevada, with 384 total clinical cases.
In a paper published in Kentucky Health News at the beginning of August, Heather Close cited the 2022 increase in the fungus to be a result of rising temperatures.
“As a drug-resistant fungal disease, Candida auris adapts to the warmer climate, cases of it rise; up 214% in Kentucky in 2022,” Close said.
Close reports that there has been a 1,200 percent increase in the fungus since 2017.
The fungus can cause infections in various parts of the body like the bloodstream, open wounds, and ears. According to the CDC, symptoms depend on the location and severity of the infection, but there is not a common set of symptoms specific to the fungus.
“In general, C. auris is not a threat to healthy people. CDC typically does not recommend screening or testing family members,” the CDC said.
Typically, people around the fungus should use alcohol-based hand sanitizer or wash their hands before and after the interaction.