Hospitals and long-term care facilities across the United States are facing a growing threat from Candida auris, a highly drug-resistant fungus that health officials describe as difficult to treat and potentially deadly.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 27 US states have now reported cases of the infection. The spread comes at a time when the healthcare system is already under strain due to rising flu cases.
Citing CDC data, Nexstar reported that healthcare facilities have recorded nearly 7,000 Candida auris infections so far in 2025. The number is rapidly approaching last year’s record of more than 7,500 cases, raising alarm among infectious disease experts.
First detected in the US in 2016, Candida auris is an invasive yeast that can enter the bloodstream, infect wounds, and affect the ears. It primarily targets people with weakened immune systems, those with serious underlying conditions, and patients who rely on invasive medical devices such as catheters or ventilators.
One of the biggest challenges with Candida auris is that it does not present a unique or easily recognisable set of symptoms. The CDC says infections often resemble bacterial illnesses, with patients experiencing fever or chills, making early detection difficult.
The fungus has earned the label of a “superbug” because many strains are resistant to antifungal medicines. In some cases, the infection shows resistance to all three major classes of antifungal drugs, including echinocandins, leaving doctors with very limited treatment options.
“If you get infected with this pathogen that’s resistant to any treatment, there’s no treatment we can give you to help combat it. You’re all on your own,” Melissa Nolan, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of South Carolina, told Nexstar.
The CDC has previously warned that Candida auris carries a high mortality risk. Based on data from a limited number of patients, between 30 and 60 percent of those infected have died. The agency has noted, however, that many of these patients were already suffering from severe medical conditions that increased their risk of death.
Scientists are also pointing to broader environmental factors behind the fungus’s spread. Climate change, they say, may be enabling fungi to adapt to warmer temperatures, making it easier for them to survive inside the human body.
“We have tremendous protection against environmental fungi because of our temperature. However, if the world is getting warmer and the fungi begin to adapt to higher temperatures as well, some … are going to reach what I call the temperature barrier, where they’ll be able to survive in the human body,” Arturo Casadevall, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, told the Associated Press.
Health officials say the combination of rising case numbers, limited treatment options, and overstretched healthcare facilities makes Candida auris a serious and growing public health concern. The CDC continues to urge strict infection control measures in hospitals and nursing homes to prevent further spread, warning that once the fungus gains a foothold in healthcare settings, it is extremely difficult to eliminate.
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