Yale New Haven Health doctor warns about treatment-resistant fungus
Dr. Scott Roberts with Yale New Haven Health says Candida auris is not something that most people have to worry about.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Candida auris was first discovered in 2009, and the first clinical cases began appearing in 2016.
In 2023, there were over 4,500 new clinical cases in the United States, and the number continues to rise.
Dr. Scott Roberts with Yale New Haven Health says Candida auris is not something that most people have to worry about.
Roberts says its mostly being seen in hospitals and nursing homes and you're not going to get it in the grocery store.
However, its dangerous because the bacteria can spread person to person and is resistant to treatment.
The CDC says there have only been a handful of cases in Connecticut and the state Department of Public Health began testing for the fungus in 2017.
"It's a new bug. We really haven't seen this before the 2000's so it seems to have evolved at some point very recently and is now causing human infections," said Roberts.
Roberts says Candida auris mostly affects patients with severe underlying medical conditions who require complex medical care.
Patients with invasive medical devices like breathing tubes, feeding tubes, and catheters are at increased risk for infection.
