Drug-Resistant Fungus Candida auris Spreads in Michigan Hospitals

For the record, "Drug-resistant" and "fungus" are two words nobody wants sharing the same sentence, especially when hospitals are involved. Yet, Michigan, here we are. Candida auris, or C. auris, is a potentially deadly yeast first identified in 2009. The Mitten State saw its first cases back in 2021, and since then, health officials have watched the numbers climb.

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According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), more than 3,000 C. auris cases have been detected statewide, including hundreds of clinical infections.

How Candida Auris Spreads in Michigan

a hospital room with a bed and medical equipment

If a deadly, drug-resistant fungus had a silver lining, it's this: For most healthy Michiganders, the risk remains low. C. auris is primarily a concern inside hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care settings.

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The fungus can live on a person's skin without making them sick, survive on surfaces for extended periods, and spread through contaminated medical equipment or contact with an infected patient. That makes moving patients between hospitals and long-term care facilities another potential avenue for spread.

Who Is Most at Risk?

An iv drip is connected to a person's hand.

The greatest danger is to people already dealing with serious medical issues, especially patients with weakened immune systems, ventilators, feeding tubes, central lines, or catheters. And the kicker? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says C. auris can resist antifungal medications normally used to treat similar infections. Some strains are resistant to multiple types of drugs, which limits what doctors can do to help.

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Patient screening is one of the first lines of defense for medical officials and facilities, along with infection-control precautions, handwashing, and disinfectants proven effective against C. auris. So while you don't have to be overly cautious while in line at Meijer, you may want to exercise a bit of caution when visiting friends or family in medical facilities.