New cases of the dangerous, drug-resistant fungus Candida auris (C. auris) have recently surged in hospital systems in Georgia and Florida, according to state health officials and a new study. Identified in the U.S. in 2016, C. auris has grown steadily each year, with a sharp increase in 2023.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers C. auris an “urgent antimicrobial resistance threat” due to its resistance to antifungal medications. The fungus primarily affects vulnerable patients in healthcare settings, especially those with catheters or feeding and breathing tubes. It also survives on surfaces for extended periods, making hospital environments particularly risky.
Georgia’s health department confirmed rising cases, and a new study found rapid spread in Miami’s Jackson Health System. The CDC reports that only 12 states have not detected C. auris.
Cases by State (2016–2023)
- New York – 1,795
- Illinois – 1,627
- California – 1,566
- Florida – 1,485
- Texas – 750
- Nevada – 1,008
- New Jersey – 491
- Indiana – 304
- Ohio – 274
- Georgia – 219
- Maryland – 203
- Arizona – 179
- Virginia – 151
- Michigan – 149
- Tennessee – 107
- District of Columbia – 97
- Kentucky – 48
- Pennsylvania – 44
- Mississippi – 41
- Louisiana – 38
- Delaware – 30
- Massachusetts – 23
- North Carolina – 20
- Alabama – 19
- Wisconsin – 12
- Arkansas – 10
- Oklahoma – 10
- Connecticut, Minnesota, South Carolina – 8 each
- Iowa – 6
- Missouri, Oregon, West Virginia – 4 each
- Colorado – 3
- Nebraska – 2
- Hawaii, New Mexico, Utah – 1 each
- Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, Wyoming – 0
Sources
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