Latest news with #MelissaNolan
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Drug-resistant fungus Candida auris reported in these 17 states
(NEXSTAR) – The deadly and drug-resistant fungus Candida auris is under close surveillance as health experts work to calm its spread. Candida auris, also called C. auris, was first identified in the U.S. less than 10 years ago. Since then, the number of cases have increased every year. In 2025, new cases of Candida auris are about on track with the same time last year, according to data reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, some states are seeing far more cases than others. Of the 1,052 cases reported to the CDC so far in 2025, about a quarter are in Texas. The Lone Star State has had 241 cases of Candida auris as of late April (the latest available data from the CDC). Other states seeing the fungus in large numbers include Michigan (185), Ohio (125), Virginia (99) and Arizona (98). Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wisconsin have also all reported new cases this year. The case counts are provisional, the CDC notes, and subject to change as more information becomes available. Fungus labeled 'urgent threat' by CDC is spreading rapidly, hospital study finds The CDC has considered the fungus 'an urgent antimicrobial resistance threat' because it has developed ways to defeat the drugs that are designed to kill it. When antifungal medications aren't effective, the fungus can spread more easily and infections can be hard or even impossible to treat. People with a healthy immune system may be able to fight off infection on their own, but Candida auris mainly spreads in health care settings, where people are sick and vulnerable. People with catheters, breathing tubes, feeding tubes and PICC lines are at the highest risk because the pathogen can enter the body through these types of devices. The fungus can survive on surfaces, like countertops, doorknobs, or even people's skin, for a long time before spreading to vulnerable patients. 'It's really good at just being, generally speaking, in the environment,' Melissa Nolan, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of South Carolina, told Nexstar.' So if you have it on a patient's bed for example, on the railing, and you go to wipe everything down, if in whatever way maybe a couple of pathogens didn't get cleared, then they're becoming resistant. And so over time, they can kind of grow and populate in that hospital environment.' In the past, the CDC estimated that 'based on information from a limited number of patients, 30–60% of people with C. auris infections have died. However, many of these people had other serious illnesses that also increased their risk of death.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
11-05-2025
- Health
- The Hill
Drug-resistant fungus Candida auris reported in these 17 states
(NEXSTAR) – The deadly and drug-resistant fungus Candida auris is under close surveillance as health experts work to calm its spread. Candida auris, also called C. auris, was first identified in the U.S. less than 10 years ago. Since then, the number of cases have increased every year. In 2025, new cases of Candida auris are about on track with the same time last year, according to data reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, some states are seeing far more cases than others. Of the 1,052 cases reported to the CDC so far in 2025, about a quarter are in Texas. The Lone Star State has had 241 cases of Candida auris as of late April (the latest available data from the CDC). Other states seeing the fungus in large numbers include Michigan (185), Ohio (125), Virginia (99) and Arizona (98). Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wisconsin have also all reported new cases this year. The case counts are provisional, the CDC notes, and subject to change as more information becomes available. The CDC has considered the fungus 'an urgent antimicrobial resistance threat' because it has developed ways to defeat the drugs that are designed to kill it. When antifungal medications aren't effective, the fungus can spread more easily and infections can be hard or even impossible to treat. People with a healthy immune system may be able to fight off infection on their own, but Candida auris mainly spreads in health care settings, where people are sick and vulnerable. People with catheters, breathing tubes, feeding tubes and PICC lines are at the highest risk because the pathogen can enter the body through these types of devices. The fungus can survive on surfaces, like countertops, doorknobs, or even people's skin, for a long time before spreading to vulnerable patients. 'It's really good at just being, generally speaking, in the environment,' Melissa Nolan, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of South Carolina, told Nexstar.' So if you have it on a patient's bed for example, on the railing, and you go to wipe everything down, if in whatever way maybe a couple of pathogens didn't get cleared, then they're becoming resistant. And so over time, they can kind of grow and populate in that hospital environment.' In the past, the CDC estimated that 'based on information from a limited number of patients, 30–60% of people with C. auris infections have died. However, many of these people had other serious illnesses that also increased their risk of death.'
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Fungus labeled ‘urgent threat' by CDC is spreading rapidly, hospital study finds
(NEXSTAR) – New cases of a dangerous, drug-resistant fungus have been identified in at least two states' hospital systems. Candida auris, also called C. auris, was first identified in the U.S. in 2016. Since then, the number of cases have increased every year, jumping substantially in 2023 (the last year of data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Recently, cases have proliferated in Georgia, the state's health department told local news outlet WJCL. A study published this week, which focused on the Jackson Health System in Miami also found cases of the fungus have 'rapidly increased.' Allergy sufferers in these US cities face a tough 2025 season, study finds The CDC has called Candida auris 'an urgent antimicrobial resistance threat' because it's resistant to anti-fungal drugs, making it hard to treat an infection once it occurs. 'If you get infected with this pathogen that's resistant to any treatment, there's no treatment we can give you to help combat it. You're all on your own,' Melissa Nolan, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of South Carolina, told Nexstar. People with a healthy immune system may be able to fight off infection on their own, but Candida auris mainly spreads in health care settings, where people are sick and vulnerable. People with catheters, breathing tubes, feeding tubes and PICC lines are at the highest risk because the pathogen can enter the body through these types of devices. When the fungus infects a patient, it can be hard to identify what's going on. Symptoms are like those of any infection, including fever and chills. Another reason Candida auris is so concerning is because of how well it has adapted to surviving on surfaces, like countertops, bedrails and doorknobs. T-Mobile customers to get payments up to $25K next month after data breach: Here's who qualifies 'It's really good at just being, generally speaking, in the environment,' Nolan explained. 'So if you have it on a patient's bed for example, on the railing, and you go to wipe everything down, if in whatever way maybe a couple of pathogens didn't get cleared, then they're becoming resistant. And so over time, they can kind of grow and populate in that hospital environment.' It's not just hospitals in Georgia and Florida that are areas of concern. Candida auris has been found in all but 12 states, with a substantial spike between 2022 and 2023. Location Clinical cases of C. auris Alaska 0 Alabama 19 Arkansas 10 Arizona 179 California 1,566 Colorado 3 Connecticut 8 District Of Columbia 97 Delaware 30 Florida 1,485 Georgia 219 Hawaii 1 Iowa 6 Idaho 0 Illinois 1,627 Indiana 304 Kansas 0 Kentucky 48 Louisiana 38 Massachusetts 23 Maryland 203 Maine 0 Michigan 149 Minnesota 8 Missouri 4 Mississippi 41 Montana 0 North Carolina 20 North Dakota 0 Nebraska 2 New Hampshire 0 New Jersey 491 New Mexico 1 Nevada 1,008 New York 1,795 Ohio 274 Oklahoma 10 Oregon 4 Pennsylvania 44 Rhode Island 0 South Carolina 8 South Dakota 0 Tennessee 107 Texas 750 Utah 1 Virginia 151 Vermont 0 Washington 0 Wisconsin 12 West Virginia 4 Wyoming 0 In the past, the CDC estimated that 'based on information from a limited number of patients, 30–60% of people with C. auris infections have died. However, many of these people had other serious illnesses that also increased their risk of death.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
22-03-2025
- Health
- The Hill
Fungus labeled ‘urgent threat' by CDC is spreading rapidly, hospital study finds
(NEXSTAR) – New cases of a dangerous, drug-resistant fungus have been identified in at least two states' hospital systems. Candida auris, also called C. auris, was first identified in the U.S. in 2016. Since then, the number of cases have increased every year, jumping substantially in 2023 (the last year of data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Recently, cases have proliferated in Georgia, the state's health department told local news outlet WJCL. A study published this week, which focused on the Jackson Health System in Miami also found cases of the fungus have 'rapidly increased.' Allergy sufferers in these US cities face a tough 2025 season, study finds The CDC has called Candida auris ' an urgent antimicrobial resistance threat ' because it's resistant to anti-fungal drugs, making it hard to treat an infection once it occurs. 'If you get infected with this pathogen that's resistant to any treatment, there's no treatment we can give you to help combat it. You're all on your own,' Melissa Nolan, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of South Carolina, told Nexstar. People with a healthy immune system may be able to fight off infection on their own, but Candida auris mainly spreads in health care settings, where people are sick and vulnerable. People with catheters, breathing tubes, feeding tubes and PICC lines are at the highest risk because the pathogen can enter the body through these types of devices. When the fungus infects a patient, it can be hard to identify what's going on. Symptoms are like those of any infection, including fever and chills. Another reason Candida auris is so concerning is because of how well it has adapted to surviving on surfaces, like countertops, bedrails and doorknobs. 'It's really good at just being, generally speaking, in the environment,' Nolan explained. 'So if you have it on a patient's bed for example, on the railing, and you go to wipe everything down, if in whatever way maybe a couple of pathogens didn't get cleared, then they're becoming resistant. And so over time, they can kind of grow and populate in that hospital environment.' It's not just hospitals in Georgia and Florida that are areas of concern. Candida auris has been found in all but 12 states, with a substantial spike between 2022 and 2023. Location Clinical cases of C. auris Alaska 0 Alabama 19 Arkansas 10 Arizona 179 California 1,566 Colorado 3 Connecticut 8 District Of Columbia 97 Delaware 30 Florida 1,485 Georgia 219 Hawaii 1 Iowa 6 Idaho 0 Illinois 1,627 Indiana 304 Kansas 0 Kentucky 48 Louisiana 38 Massachusetts 23 Maryland 203 Maine 0 Michigan 149 Minnesota 8 Missouri 4 Mississippi 41 Montana 0 North Carolina 20 North Dakota 0 Nebraska 2 New Hampshire 0 New Jersey 491 New Mexico 1 Nevada 1,008 New York 1,795 Ohio 274 Oklahoma 10 Oregon 4 Pennsylvania 44 Rhode Island 0 South Carolina 8 South Dakota 0 Tennessee 107 Texas 750 Utah 1 Virginia 151 Vermont 0 Washington 0 Wisconsin 12 West Virginia 4 Wyoming 0 In the past, the CDC estimated that 'based on information from a limited number of patients, 30–60% of people with C. auris infections have died. However, many of these people had other serious illnesses that also increased their risk of death.'
