Candida auris: Drug-resistant super fungus is spreading rapidly!
Discovered 15 years ago and resistant to drugs, this disease is spreading rapidly around the world. Once this fungus enters the body, it can affect everything from the bloodstream to internal organs. So, what is this super fungus? How dangerous is it? What are the symptoms?
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Called a 'super fungus' due to the long and difficult nature of its treatment, this pathogen is currently one of the most feared hospital-acquired infections in the world. It is said that some strains of the fungus are resistant to all known drugs. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that Candida auris is an "emerging fungus that presents a serious global health threat."
American health authorities reported that the fungus began spreading at an alarming rate in U.S. healthcare facilities starting in 2020 and 2021, and researchers have suggested that the increase in cases may be linked to climate change.
WHAT IS CANDIDA AURIS?
Candida auris was first identified in 2009 in the ear canal of a patient at the Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital in Japan. This disease, which shows resistance to known drugs, is a highly mysterious and dangerous fungal infection. It is known as a type of fungus that can cause life-threatening infections when it enters the bloodstream.
HOW DANGEROUS IS CANDIDA AURIS?
According to statements by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 90 percent of Candida auris infections show resistance to known drugs. Most commonly leading to bloodstream infections, this disease also affects the respiratory system, central nervous system, internal organs, and skin. These infections are often very serious.
HAS IT BEEN SEEN IN TURKEY?
According to the CDC map, the super fungus Candida auris has been seen in many countries, including the U.S., Canada, Russia, Australia, and Greece. However, no cases of the disease have been encountered in Turkey yet.
WHY IS IT RESISTANT TO ANTIFUNGAL DRUGS?
DNA analysis revealed that the drug-resistance genes of Candida auris show similarities to the much more common Candida albicans. This examination proves that drug-resistance genes in the fungus can be transferred from one species to another.