Candida Auris: A deadly fungus infects 13 people in the US

Fungal infections can sometimes cause serious damage or for the worst, it could be deadly. Now,it has been found that a type of fungal infection is found in the Unites States that was never been seen before.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that thirteen individuals were found very ill from a serious and sometimes deadly fungal infection. It also has been reported that the fungal infection was never seen in the United States.

The fungus, which is called Candida Auris is known to happen in nursing homes and hospitals or other health care settings.

Previously, it has been reported that seven cases of the Candida Auris happen between May 2013 and August 2016 in the four states namely, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Illinois. Four of the seven cases were reported dead last August 31. The doctors saw infections in the bloodstream, but it is not clear if the death comes from the C. Auris infection, according to CNN.

Chief of the CDC's Mycotic Diseases Branch Dr. Tom Chiller said that "it appears that C. Auris arrived in the United States only in the past few years." He added that "scientists are working to better understand the fungus, so they can develop recommendations to protect those at risk."

A laboratory test revealed that the seven cases from the US are in relation to the ones that happened in South Asia and South America. The experts believed that the transmission happens in the health care settings.

Thus, in the C. Auris strains coming from the US patients, three-quarters of those showed resistance from other drugs. However, all of the strains are not resistant from anti-fungal drug classes.

Dr. Tom Frieden added that "we need to act now to better understand, contain and stop the spread of this drug-resistant fungus." The CDC also advise that the health care should follow cleaning and disinfection protocol to stop the spread, according to FOX News.