What to know about Candida auris since it was deemed an urgent threat

Article content

More information is coming out about how quickly cases of Candida auris — a deadly fungus that can resist antifungal drugs — are increasing after it was called an urgent threat in the United States by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2023.

There has been a surge since 2023, when it was detected in 4,514 patients in the United States, according to the CDC.

Article content

Researchers from Florida and Texas who conducted a study published earlier this month in the American Journal of Infection Control observed the fungus at a large health system from 2019 to 2023. They found it was rapidly spreading and the sources of infection expanded.

In Georgia, there have been 1,300 cases as of the end of February, Georgia Department of Public Health’s JoAnna Wagner told local news outlet WJCL. It is being combatted with “List P” disinfectants registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which are cleaners such as Hydrogen Peroxide and Paracetic Acid that can kill Candida auris.

The most recent data about cases in Canada, according to a federal government webpage updated in 2024, says there have been 43 people known to test positive for Candida auris from 2012 to 2022.

Article content

Article content

As of January 2025, it has been classified as a disease of public health significance under the Health Protection and Promotion Act in Ontario.

Here’s what to know.

When did Candida auris become a threat?

In March 2023, it was deemed an urgent antimicrobial resistance (AR) threat by the CDC because of its resistance to multiple antifungal drugs, its ability to spread easily in healthcare facilities, and the fact that it can cause severe infections with high death rates.

The CDC said that “people who are very sick, have invasive medical devices, or have long or frequent stays in healthcare facilities are at increased risk.”

In June 2023, Public Health Ontario called the spread of Candida auris concerning.

What is Candida auris?

Article content

Candida auris is a species of fungus that can cause healthcare-associated invasive infections and outbreaks, posing a serious threat to global human health, according to Health Canada’s webpage dedicated to its prevention and control in Canadian healthcare settings. It can cause serious illness or death.

It can be hard to identify in the laboratory and its detection may therefore be underestimated, per Health Canada. It is estimated to have a mortality rate of 40 per cent for invasive Candida auris infections.

It’s hard to treat because it can be resistant to multiple drugs, academic medical centre Cleveland Clinic says. It can cause ear infections, wound infections, urinary tract infections, and blood infections that can spread to other parts of the body. It can be contracted through contact with contaminated surfaces or from others who have an infection.

Article content

Although it is rare, there has been an increase in cases globally since 2019 and it is considered an emerging infectious disease, according to the Cleveland Clinic. There is a type of medication (echinocandins, a class of antifungal drugs) that can usually cure the fungal infection, but because Candida auris can be resistant, healthcare provides “may need to use a combination of medications to get rid of the infection.”

Candida auris was first reported in the U.S. in 2016, the CDC says. Cases have been reported in Canada since 2012, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. However, the first case of a multidrug-resistant version of the disease was reported in May 2017 in a Canadian patient that had been hospitalized in India.

Article content

Candida auris was described in 2009 in Japan and has been detected in over 40 countries since then, according to a Canadian study.

What information has come out about Candida auris in Canada?

In Canada, the group of people who are largely affected by the fungus are hospitalized patients. Residents of long-term care are at high risk and disproportionately affected in other countries, per the federal government.

This month, the federal government updated a 2024 notice about the fungal infection that expanded on recommendations about outbreak management and screening. The report, intended for healthcare settings, includes all kinds of protocols that should be followed, from disinfecting patients’ rooms to considerations for visitors. It also goes over screening and surveillance, as well as testing methods.

Article content

Researchers of a study entitled First reported outbreak of the emerging pathogen Candida auris in Canada, published in 2021, observed the outbreak in the Greater Vancouver area in 2018. They identified four cases. The outbreak was able to be contained, as none of the cases were resistant to medication. The outbreak was declared over within two months. However, the researchers concluded that the “spread of C. auris in healthcare facilities has not spared Canadian institutions.”

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.

Article content