Deadly drug-resistant fungus discovered in Mississippi. What you need to know
An emerging fungus presents a serious global threat as it spreads rapidly throughout the state and nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Candida Auris is multidrug-resistant and difficult to identify with standard laboratory methods, and it can be misidentified in labs without specific technology, the CDC said.
Multiple healthcare facilities in several countries have reported that a type of yeast called Candida Auris has been causing severe illness in hospitalized patients.
For some patients, the yeast can enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body, causing serious invasive infections.
The Mississippi State Department of Health reported as of Thursday, a total of six cases of the invasive infection, with two deaths, and 37 colonized individuals have been identified statewide in Mississippi since November 2022.
"This yeast often does not respond to commonly used antifungal drugs, making infections difficult to treat," the CDC said. "Patients who have been hospitalized in a healthcare facility for a long time, have a central venous catheter, or other lines or tubes entering their body, or have previously received antibiotics or antifungal medications, appear to be at the highest risk of infection with this yeast."
Not only has the deadly virus spread throughout Mississippi, but experts at the Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation in New Jersey said the fungus has taken hold in health facilities in Southern Nevada, sickening at least 600 and killing another 63.
Below are a few helpful tips provided by MSDH and the CDC on precautions to take.
How does Candida Auris spread?
C. Auris can occur through transmission resulting from contact with affected patients and contaminated surfaces or equipment, according to MSDH.
C. Auris mainly affects persons who are frequently admitted to or live in health care settings, have chronic wounds or underlying health problems, or have indwelling lines and medical devices
Who is most likely to get Candida Auris infection?
C. Auris mainly affects patients who already have many medical problems, according to the CDC.
It often affects people who have had frequent hospital stays or live in nursing homes.
C. Auris is more likely to affect patients who have weakened immune systems from conditions such as blood cancers or diabetes, receive lots of antibiotics, or have devices like tubes going into their body (for example, breathing tubes, feeding tubes, catheters in a vein, or bladder catheters).
Healthy people usually don’t get C. Auris infections.
How to Prevent from getting it?
To prevent C. Auris infection, people should regularly wash their hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (if their hands are not visibly soiled) to keep them clean.
Healthcare providers should follow infection prevention and control measures, such as the proper use of gowns and gloves.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Deadly fungus found in Mississippi, other states, spreading rapidly
