There’s a New Fungus in Town and It Won’t Be the Last

MedPageToday The arrival of C. auris in Washington is a harbinger of health systems addled by climate change. For healthcare systems in the Pacific Northwest, the recent outbreaks  of Candida auris (C. auris) serve as a wake-up call. The implications of the arrival of this resilient and drug-resistant fungal pathogen are profound, particularly for our most vulnerable patients who are immunocompromised or critically ill. This new threat also represents a bellwether in health circles due to the clear link between the spread of C. auris and climate change. C. auris is a potentially deadly fungus that was only first reported  in the U.S. in 2016. Its arrival to Washington state is not just a local issue; it is a global concern. The rise in global temperatures, attributed to climate change is believed to be a key factor behind the alarming surge of C. auris cases. As temperatures increase, fungi can adapt to warmer environments, overpowering the body’s natural defenses. In the U.S., reported clinical cases increased by 95%  during 2020–2021, and in 2022 alone, over 2,377 cases  were recorded, emphasizing the urgency of understanding and addressing this emerging threat.

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