Cases of Candida auris, a fungus capable of causing serious infections and resisting some medications, once again ignited health alerts in the United States. Preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that, as of July 18, 2026, 3,437 clinical cases have been identified in 27 states.
California has recorded the highest number of cases, with 873, followed by Texas, with 706, Michigan (503) and Illinois (366). The CDC notes that diagnoses have increased since the fungus was detected in the country, although the pace of growth began to slow in recent years.
What is Candida auris and why is it of concern?
Candida auris, also called C. auris, is a yeast that can remain on the skin without causing symptoms or cause invasive infections in the blood, wounds, ears, and other parts of the body.
The concern is because some strains show resistance to one or more antifungal drugs. Additionally, the microorganism can survive for prolonged periods on surfaces and medical equipment, facilitating its transmission within hospitals, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities.
The CDC considers it an urgent threat related to antimicrobial resistance because it can spread rapidly in healthcare institutions, can be difficult to identify using conventional testing, and can limit treatment options.
You can see: Deadly fungus Candida auris is spreading throughout the United States
What are the symptoms of Candida auris
The symptoms depend on the area of the body affected and can be confused with those of other infections. Among the reported signs are:
When Candida auris invades the bloodstream, it can cause a life-threatening infection. However, not all people who have the fungus have symptoms.
Some patients remain colonized, that is, they carry C. auris on their skin or other parts of the body without being sick. Even so, they can transmit it to other people or contaminate surfaces within a health center.
Who is most at risk
For most healthy people living in the community, the risk of getting sick from Candida auris remains low. Severe cases are mainly concentrated among patients with complex medical problems or who need healthcare for prolonged periods.
The greatest risk is seen among those who are hospitalized for a long time, live in nursing homes or skilled care facilities, or have a weakened immune system. They also especially warn those who use venous catheters, probes, breathing tubes or other invasive devices, have recently had surgery, or are receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics or antifungals.
A recent CDC report on cases recorded between 2022 and 2024 found that nearly 88% of clinical infections occurred in adults aged 45 years and older. 61% corresponded to men.
Can it be deadly?
Candida auris can cause serious illness, but it is not correct to automatically attribute all deaths among infected patients to it.
Many of the affected people already have severe illnesses, remain in intensive care or have other factors that increase their risk of dying. Therefore, it is difficult to determine in each case whether death was caused directly by the fungus or by a combination of several medical problems.
An analysis of hospitalizations associated with Candida auris between 2017 and 2022 found an overall mortality close to 34%, but the authors highlighted the high burden of pre-existing diseases in these patients.
You can see: Health alert in New York due to the spread of the superbacteria Candida auris in hospitals
How the fungus is transmitted
Candida auris is primarily spread by contact with a colonized or infected person, or by touching contaminated surfaces and equipment.
Bed rails, tables, thermometers, respirators and other objects used in clinical settings can act as transmission routes when adequate cleaning protocols are not applied.
It does not behave like a common respiratory infection and does not usually spread between healthy people during daily activities outside of medical centers.
How Candida auris is treated
Most invasive infections can be treated initially with a group of antifungal medications called echinocandins. However, some strains also developed resistance to these drugs, which may require the use of combination treatments or alternative medications.
People who are only colonized and have no symptoms generally do not receive antifungals. The priority in these cases is to prevent the microorganism from spreading to other vulnerable patients.
