Centers for Disease Control Warns of Rapidly Spreading Fungal Infection with 60% Kill Rate

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning for a rapidly spreading fungal infection called Candida auris that holds a 60 percent kill rate.

The first confirmed infection of Candida auris occurred in Washington last month and has been rapidly spreading, especially in medical facilities. The CDC has warned that one in three patients infected with the fungus could die. Seattle and King County reported their first confirmed case of the fungal infection last week. Kindred Hospital Seattle – First Hill said the asymptomatic patients were being “appropriately isolated from the rest of the patient population with extra clinical and cleaning precautions to prevent spread.” Per Express:

This deadly fungus, which typically impacts those with weakened immune systems, is resistant to several common anti-fungal drugs.

First appearing just 15 years ago, the rates of Candida auris have soared in that time. In 2021, there were 2,377 confirmed clinical cases in the US, a staggering increase of over 1,200 per cent since 2017. The CDC has warned that Candida auris can cause infections across the body, including the bloodstream, open wounds and ears.

In cases of Candida auris, symptoms may look like a common bacterial infection. However, an infected person can unknowingly spread the fungus. The CDC said: “Someone who is colonized can still transmit C. auris onto surfaces or objects that they contact, which can then be picked up by other patients.”

The CDC further warned that Candida auris can be misidentified as another type of fungus “unless specialized laboratory technology is used.” A misidentification of the fungus could lead the patient to receive the wrong treatment.

News of the outbreak comes shortly after the CDC issued a warning about an outbreak of listeria among dairy products in the United States.

The outbreak has already killed two people and has largely been spread by contaminated cheese, crema, and yogurt made by Rizo-Lopez Foods, which has voluntarily recalled the items. The products are sold in a number of supermarket chains, including Whole Foods and Food City. Per the Daily Mail, 26 Americans have fallen ill from the bacteria, with another 23 hospitalized in 11 states. Two deaths have been reported in Texas and California.

Paul Roland Bois directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. “Better than Killers of the Flower Moon,” wrote Mark Judge. “You haven’t seen a story like this before,” wrote Christian Toto. A high-quality, ad-free stream can also be purchased on Google Play or Vimeo on Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.