A drug-resistant super fungus, Candida auris, is spreading in UK hospitals, raising concerns among health officials. The yeast-type fungus, first discovered in 2009, can cause severe infections in the bloodstream, nervous system, and internal organs, with a mortality rate of 30% to 53% for invasive infections, according to the World Health Organization.
Candida auris is often resistant to common antifungal drugs, and some strains are resistant to all available medicines. Dr Tina Joshi, associate professor in Molecular Biology at the University of Plymouth, said: 'The biggest problem with this fungus is its resistance to the drugs we have.' Identifying infections is also difficult, as it can be mistaken for other fungi, leading to incorrect treatment.
The fungus spreads mainly through contaminated surfaces in hospitals, sticking to intravenous lines and blood pressure cuffs. Dr Neil Stone, a fungal expert at University College London, warned: 'It is the most worrying fungi and we ignore it at our peril.' Patients in intensive care or those who have had prolonged antibiotic use are at higher risk.
Climate change may have contributed to the rise of Candida auris. A 2019 study suggested that rising temperatures forced the fungus to adapt to higher temperatures, making it more capable of infecting humans. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that clinical cases in the US tripled from 476 in 2019 to 1,471 in 2021, highlighting the alarming spread of this superbug.
