Deadly Drug-Resistant Fungus Spreads Quickly in US, WHO Warns

A deadly, multi-drug-resistant fungus is rapidly spreading in the United States, triggering urgent warnings from both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The pathogen—Candida auris—is infecting hospitals and care facilities, causing bloodstream infections, organ damage, and deaths at alarming rates. Experts describe it as a serious global health threat that requires coordinated action across healthcare systems.

• 2025 outbreak: New York reports nearly 1,800 cumulative cases, with around 90 in early 2025, 

• Fatality rate: Between 30% and 60% in hospitalized patients, 

• Spread mainly in hospitals and nursing homes, especially among the immunocompromised 

• Antifungal resistance: Often resistant to three main drug classes—azoles, echinocandins, and amphotericin

It causes invasive infections: bloodstream, wound, ear, urinary tract, and even brain cases 

Particularly dangerous for hospitalized patients with catheters, ventilators, or weakened immunity

• Drug resistance: Many strains resist first-line drugs like fluconazole and echinocandins; some are pan-resistant 

• High fatality: Mortality rates reach up to 60% among the infected.

• Silent spread: It survives on hospital surfaces for weeks, evades common disinfectants, and spreads via contact and medical equipment

• Hospital outbreaks: Half the U.S. states report cases, many in areas with COVID-era cleanup gaps.

• Hospitals & ICUs: Especially where patients have ventilators or catheters 

• Long-term care facilities: Nursing homes face a high risk due to vulnerable residents.

• Medical devices: E.g., bedrails, blood-pressure cuffs, catheters—prime surfaces for contamination

Diagnosis: Standard tests often misidentify the fungus; specialized lab tools are needed 

Treatment: Echinocandins preferred, but resistance is emerging; pan-resistant cases are being tracked 

Infection control: Isolation of infected patients, skin screening, and enhanced disinfection are critical.

New therapies: Research on experimental drugs like Mandimycin and vaccine candidates is underway

• CDC’s Dr. Meghan Lyman:

  “The rapid rise and geographic spread of cases is concerning … we need continued surveillance, expanded lab capacity, quicker diagnostic tests, and proven infection control.” 

• Dr. Stuart Cohen, UC Davis:

  “Most patients getting C. auris are already very sick. This can push them over the edge.” 

• Dr. Tina Joshi, Univ. of Plymouth:

  “The biggest problem… is its resistance to drugs… and difficulty in identifying it, often leading to wrong treatment.

Candida auris has evolved from a rare hospital yeast into a serious global health emergency. With its rapid spread, high mortality, and drug resistance, the fungus challenges our medical systems. Early detection, strict infection control, and aggressive research are the best tools to control this growing threat before it spirals further out of control.