Candida Auris: Drug-Resistant ‘Superbug’ Spreading in 23 States, CDC Says

• Federal health officials report that the fungal infection Candida auris is spreading in healthcare facilities.
• CDC data show that some strains of Candida auris have become resistant to medications usually used to treat fungal infections.
• Experts say the risk to the general public is low, but places such as acute care facilities should take extra precautions to slow the spread of the disease.

Federal health officials are expressing concerns about the spread of a drug-resistant fungus that can be deadly for people in healthcare settings.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than 3,000 cases of Candida auris have been reported in 23 states so far this year.

Texas has the most cases with 706 as of July 18. Michigan is second with 503 cases, and Illinois is third with 366 cases.

Another CDC report, issued in early July, noted annual increases in Candida auris cases between 2022 and 2024. The report stated that there were 2,882 cases nationwide in 2022, followed by 4,428 cases in 2023 and 6,197 cases in 2024.

The report noted that 88% of clinic cases of fungal infection were among people ages 45 and older. The majority of cases were in males, and most occurred in acute care facilities.

In 2023, CDC officials expressed concerns about the rise in Candida auris cases between 2019 and 2021. In particular, agency officials said they were alarmed by the increase in cases of the pathogen being resistant to first-line treatments.

Experts note that some strains of Candida auris are now resistant to all types of medications normally used to treat fungal infections.

Susan Huang, MD, 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.

“The rapid emergence around the world and the speed of spread in the U.S. is alarming,” Huang told Healthline. “The public should definitely be aware of this concern and how it may impact them or those they care about.”

New superbug most deadly in healthcare settings

Experts say most healthy people can recover from Candida auris on their own.

However, people in healthcare settings who are navigating other serious health issues are vulnerable.

Researchers have estimated that 30–60% of people with Candida auris illnesses have died. However, many of these people had other serious illnesses that also increased their risk of death.

Candida auris can survive on surfaces for long periods of time before spreading to people in medical facilities through catheters, breathing tubes, or IVs.

Huang said medical professionals should wear gowns and gloves when treating a person with Candida auris, even if the person isn’t seriously ill. She adds that a person should be in a private room to avoid contact with other patients.

“[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,” Huang said.

William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, noted that the spread of the disease is limited to certain medical facilities.

“[Candida auris] is a growing problem among chronically ill persons in nursing homes and hospitals. It is not a problem among the general public,” Schaffner told Healthline.

“This fungus is challenging to treat because it is developing resistance to commonly used antifungal drugs, making the prevention of infection even more important. Medical facilities pay special attention to rigorous disinfection of the patient care environment because [Candida auris] can be found on high-touch surfaces. Identifying infected patients and caring for them in an isolation room is also important to curtail spread,” Schaffner continued.

Peter Chin-Hong, MD, a professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco, expressed concern but said he wasn’t surprised by the spread of the fungal infection.

“It is concerning because Candida auris does not act like typical Candida species that we encounter in the healthcare system,” he told Healthline. “It is often multidrug-resistant, so some antifungals may not be reliable as in other Candida species. It can also persist in healthcare environments, making it difficult to eradicate.”

What you should know about Candida auris

Candida auris was first identified in Japan in 2009. It was first reported in the United States in 2016.

The fungus is a type of yeast that can enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body.

The disease is typically transmitted in hospitals and other healthcare settings. The fungus can spread via contaminated surfaces, such as medical equipment and furniture. It can also be transmitted from person to person.

It’s believed Candida auris can survive on surfaces for weeks at a time. In addition, a person may be able to transmit the disease up to several months after they’ve recovered from the illness.

The symptoms of Candida auris can vary widely. Some common symptoms include fever and chills, but those are also symptoms of other illnesses.

People with chronic or recurring health conditions are the most vulnerable to Candida auris. People who live in nursing facilities or have frequent hospitalizations have an even higher risk.

People with certain conditions are vulnerable to serious illness with Candida auris. These include:

• diabetes
• blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma
• any condition that weakens the immune system

Antifungal drugs are used to treat Candida auris. Generally, doctors prescribe a class of medications called echinocandins.

When a Candida auris strain proves to be drug-resistant, doctors sometimes prescribe high doses of multiple antifungal medications.

The CDC recommends that those with a Candida auris infection be placed in a private hospital room to lower the risk of the illness spreading.

However, experts said that most healthy people do not develop serious Candida auris illnesses, although they noted that precautions should always be taken.

“[Candida auris] is not circulating in the community, so those outside healthcare facilities are unlikely to be exposed,” said Huang.

“Nevertheless, the best way to prevent antibiotic-resistant pathogens from spreading further is to ensure that proper hand hygiene is practiced whenever visiting a healthcare setting or when helping a loved one with a wound or medical device at home.”

Huang added that anyone who suspects they have Candida auris should immediately be screened by a doctor and adhere to the medication regimen the doctor prescribes.

“The risk of [Candida auris] transmission to family members or the general public is very low,” added Schaffner.  “Of course, good hand hygiene with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand lotion remains important.”

Chin-Hong shared a similar view. “The public should definitely not panic but should be concerned,” he told Healthline. “The risk is not for everyday people in the community but rather concentrated in healthcare settings.”

Chin-Hong agreed that some precautions are a good idea. “This includes good hand hygiene, especially when visiting someone in a healthcare facility. Medical facilities could screen high risk patients on admission,” he said.

“Other interventions include good hand hygiene, gowns, and gloves for patient care, thorough cleaning with the right disinfectant of rooms and shared equipment, clear signage denoting Candida auris infection outside a patient’s room, and communication during transfers to other facilities, including if transferred to home and to outpatient clinic care. Medical facilities should also invest in labs that can rapidly identify Candida auris, as it can be misidentified by older methods,” Chin-Hong said.