Deadly fungal infection spreading at alarming rate throughout Florida

Lab tech testing fungal infection in petri dish – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by angellodeco

A dangerous fungus that preys on patients with serious medical issues is spreading throughout hospitals and other healthcare institutions, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue an alert. The fungus kills 30–60 percent of those who contract it, and according to the CDC, hundreds of instances have been documented in Florida.

Known as candida auris, the fungus is a type of yeast. Although it may not seem dangerous, the CDC reports that it can actually be fatal, especially for those who are confined to hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities.

“That population tends to be the most health vulnerable. They are intubated. They have weakened immune systems or they are part of our elderly population,” said Dr. Rajiv Bahl, an emergency medical doctor in Orlando.

“While many people do recover from it, the CDC reports that anywhere from 30 to 60 percent of the people can actually die from this infection,” Bahl said.

Person-to-person contact is how the fungus spreads, and it becomes particularly hazardous when it enters the bloodstream.

“Once it gets into your bloodstream, it starts to shut down your organs. Don’t forget the blood should be pretty clean, so any infections get to be pretty serious,” Bahl said.

In most cases, if you are healthy, you probably don’t need to worry too much, but symptoms include a fever and chills that persist even after taking antibiotics. Since many diseases share similar symptoms, it can be challenging to identify them.

The fungus does not have an outbreak of COVID-19 in terms of numbers. Over 2,400 cases have been reported by the CDC nationwide, with Florida having the most cases. Nevertheless, as cases increase and the fungus becomes increasingly drug-resistant, the CDC is raising the alarm.

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