Health Highlight: Mon. 10, Apr.
Today’s Highlight(s): A breakdown of the CDC’s press release about a quickly spreading fungal infection.
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“Increasing Threat of Spread of Antimicrobial-resistant Fungus in Healthcare Facilities”
✍🏼 CDC Newsroom • 🌐 Full Article • 📚 Glasp Highlights
BRIEF
This March 20, 2023, press release focuses on a multi-drug-resistant, difficult-to-identify, and quickly spreading fungal infection caused by a yeast, Candida auris.1 People over 65 and those with weak immune systems are at risk, and hospitals and nursing homes seem to be the places where the infection is spreading.
Background
In the report titled, Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2019, the CDC identified 18 germs (bacteria and fungi—excluding viruses and parasites) of interest and organized them into four categories of escalation: Watch List, Concerning Threats, Serious Threats, and Urgent Threats.2 This is the second report of this kind; the first was published in 2013, and the introduction to the report stated the following:
“The threat of antibiotic resistance undermines progress in health care, food production, and life expectancy. Addressing this threat requires preventing infections in the first place, slowing the development of resistance through better antibiotic use, and stopping the spread of resistance when it does develop.” 3
About Candida auris (C. auris)
First identified in Asia in 2009, began spreading in the US in 2015. By 2018, the number of reported cases increased by 318% compared to the averages between 2015 to 2017. 3
“Clinical cases have increased each year since 2016, with the most rapid rise occurring during 2020-2021. CDC has continued to see an increase in case counts for 2022. During 2019-2021, 17 states identified their first C. auris case ever. Nationwide, clinical cases rose from 476 in 2019 to 1,471 in 2021. Screening cases tripled from 2020 to 2021, for a total of 4,041.” 4
It causes invasive infections that affect the blood, heart, and brain that can lead to death in 1/3 of patients who are infected and already impacted with other serious medical issues. 5
While the infection isn’t as impactful to healthy individuals, without taking proper precautions, they can act as carriers and transmitters of the fungus to those at risk. 5
“Some strains (types) of C. auris are resistant to all three antibiotic classes used to treat fungal infections.” 3
What is the CDC doing about it?
After the initial Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2013 report, an intergovernmental agency task force was created to help address the identified threats.
This task force is co-chaired by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Department of Defense (DoD), created the U.S. National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (referred to as National Action Plan, the Plan, or CARB) 6
“The National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (CARB), 2020–2025, presents coordinated, strategic actions that the United States Government will take in the next five years to improve the health and wellbeing of all Americans by changing the course of antibiotic resistance.”
“This Plan is based on the U.S. Government’s 2014 National Strategy for CARB, and builds on the first National Action Plan released in 2015 by expanding evidence-based activities that have already been shown to reduce antibiotic resistance, such as optimizing the use of antibiotics in human and animal health settings.” 7
The plan has five main goals: antimicrobial-resistance prevention, surveillance, control, and drug research and development. 6
However, the implementation of the plan was hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Resources were redirected to combat Covid, and healthcare-associated, antimicrobial-resistant infections rose due to more frequent and prolonged hospital stays. 8
Guidance
The CDC’s guidance states that people in close contact with those infected by C. auris clean and sanitize their hands and disinfect equipment used; report cases to public health departments quickly; and become familiar with the identification, treatment, and infection prevention and control recommendations. 5
🏷️ #CandidaAuris #FungalInfection #CDC #2019ARTR
Notes
Candida auris” https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/candida-auris/index.html
“2019 AR Threats Report [Brief]” https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/biggest-threats.html
“Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2019” https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/pdf/threats-report/2019-ar-threats-report-508.pdf
“Increasing Threat of Spread of Antimicrobial-resistant Fungus in Healthcare Facilities” https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/p0320-cauris.html
“Candida auris: A Drug-resistant Germ That Spreads in Healthcare Facilities” https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/candida-auris/c-auris-drug-resistant.html
“U.S. National Action Plan [Brief]” https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/us-activities/national-action-plan.html
“National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, 2020–2025” https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/national-action-plan-combating-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria-2020–2025
“COVID-19 & Antimicrobial Resistance” https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/covid19.html