Over 7,000 people have been infected with Candida Auris, a drug-resistant and deadly fungus, overwhelming the hospitals, nursing homes and medical facilities in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the latest numbers are recorded in 27 US states in 2025 alone. The numbers are likely to rise in 2026, they say.
Considering the severity of the illness, the CDC has labelled the disease as an 'urgent antimicrobial resistance threat'.
First reported in the US in 2016, Candida Auris's strains are considered a superbug as they are resistant to all types of medications that are usually widely used to treat fungal infections. The vulnerable group, especially the elderly, infants and those with underlying health issues, are under threat. Raising concerns, the disease is most commonly spread in hospitals.
Why is the disease dangerous?
According to experts, there is no treatment currently, as the fungus is resistant to any existing medical treatment.
Out Now! Candida auris skin tropism and antifungal resistance are mediated by carbonic anhydrase Nce103 https://t.co/wimDfNqj1E #CandidaAuris #AntifungalResistance #Microbiology pic.twitter.com/9zfMj2wXr5
— Nature Microbiology (@NatureMicrobiol) December 23, 2025
Recently, a study published in the US found that the cases have "rapidly increased" in several states. According to scientists, climate change is contributing to the spread of Candida auris.
Though people with a healthy immune system may be able to fight off the infection, the highest risk is considered those with catheters, breathing tubes, feeding tubes and so on in hospitals.
The CDC, earlier, estimated that “30–60% of people with C. auris infections have died. However, many of these people had other serious illnesses that also increased their risk of death.”
What is Candida Auris?
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Candida Auris (C.auris) is a type of fungus that can cause severe illness and spread easily between patients in hospitals and nursing homes. It can cause a wide range of infections, from skin to more severe, life-threatening infections, including bloodstream infections.
Often being resistant, i.e., the fungus has developed the ability to defeat the drugs designed to destroy it, to antifungal medications, the infections can be difficult and sometimes impossible to treat.
Symptoms of C. auris
Though the symptoms depend on the infection site, the most common ones include fever, chills, and headaches.
