Deadly 'superbug' is spreading across US as drug resistance grows, researchers warn

A deadly, drug-resistant fungus already spreading rapidly done U.S. hospitals is becoming adjacent much threatening worldwide, though determination whitethorn beryllium anticipation for caller treatments, according to a caller technological review.

Candida auris (C. auris), often described arsenic a "superbug fungus," is spreading globally and progressively resisting quality immune systems, Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) researchers said successful a reappraisal published successful aboriginal December.

The findings reenforce anterior CDC warnings, which person labeled C. auris an "urgent antimicrobial threat" — the archetypal fungal pathogen to person that designation — arsenic U.S. cases person surged, peculiarly successful hospitals and semipermanent attraction facilities.

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Approximately 7,000 cases were identified crossed dozens of U.S. states successful 2025, according to the CDC, and it has reportedly been identified successful astatine slightest 60 countries.

Candida auris is simply a drug-resistant fungus spreading successful hospitals worldwide. (Nicolas Armer/Picture Alliance via Getty Images)

The review, which was published successful Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, helps explicate wherefore the pathogen is truthful hard to contain, and warns that outdated diagnostics and constricted treatments lag behind. It was conducted by Dr. Neeraj Chauhan of the Hackensack Meridian CDI successful New Jersey, Dr. Anuradha Chowdhary of the University of Delhi’s Medical Mycology Unit, and Dr. Michail Lionakis, main of the objective mycology programme astatine the National Institutes of Health.

Their findings accent the request to make "novel antifungal agents with broad-spectrum enactment against quality fungal pathogens, to amended diagnostic tests, and to make immune- and vaccine-based adjunct modalities for the attraction of high-risk patients," the researchers said successful a statement.

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"In addition, aboriginal efforts should absorption connected raising consciousness astir fungal illness done processing amended surveillance mechanisms, particularly successful resource-poor countries," they added. "All these developments should assistance amended the outcomes and prognosis of patients afflicted by opportunistic fungal infections."

Candida auris tin past connected tegument and infirmary surfaces, allowing it to dispersed easily. (iStock)

First identified successful 2009 from a patient's receptor illustration successful Japan, C. auris has since dispersed to dozens of countries, including the U.S., wherever outbreaks person forced immoderate infirmary intensive attraction units to unopen down, according to the researchers.

The fungus poses the top hazard to radical who are already critically ill, peculiarly those connected ventilators oregon with weakened immune systems. Once infected, astir fractional of patients whitethorn die, according to immoderate estimates.

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Unlike galore different fungi, C. auris tin past connected quality tegument and cling to infirmary surfaces and aesculapian equipment, allowing it to dispersed easy successful healthcare settings.

"It is resistant to aggregate antifungal drugs, and it tends to dispersed successful infirmary settings, including connected instrumentality being utilized connected immunocompromised and semi-immunocompromised patients, specified arsenic ventilators and catheters," Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News elder aesculapian expert and objective prof of medicine astatine NYU Langone, antecedently told Fox News Digital.

Scientists accidental the unsocial compartment partition operation of C. auris makes it harder to kill. (iStock)

It is besides often misdiagnosed, delaying attraction and corruption power measures.

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"Unfortunately, symptoms specified arsenic fever, chills and aches whitethorn beryllium ubiquitous, and it tin beryllium mistaken for different infections," Siegel said.

In September, helium said aggravated probe was ongoing to make caller treatments.

Only 4 large classes of antifungal drugs are presently available, and C. auris has already shown absorption to galore of them. While 3 caller antifungal drugs person been approved oregon are successful late-stage trials, researchers pass that cause improvement has struggled to support gait with the fungus’s evolution.

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Despite the sobering findings, determination is inactive country for cautious optimism.

The fungus tin cling to tegument and infirmary surfaces, aiding its spread. (iStock)

In abstracted probe published successful December, scientists astatine the University of Exeter successful England discovered a imaginable weakness successful C. auris portion studying the fungus successful a living-host model. 

The squad recovered that during infection, the fungus activates circumstantial genes to scavenge robust — a nutrient it needs to survive, according to their paper, which was published successful the Nature portfolio diary Communications Biology successful December.

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Because robust is indispensable for the pathogen, researchers judge drugs that artifact this process could yet halt infections oregon adjacent let existing medications to beryllium repurposed.

"We deliberation our probe whitethorn person revealed an Achilles’ bottommost successful this lethal pathogen during progressive infection," Dr. Hugh Gifford, a objective lecturer astatine the University of Exeter and co-author of the study, said successful a statement.

New probe is underway to make amended treatments and diagnostics for C. auris. (iStock)

As researchers contention to amended recognize the fungus, officials pass that strict corruption control, accelerated detection and continued concern successful caller treatments stay critical.

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Health experts stress that C. auris is not a menace to steadfast people.

Fox News Digital has reached retired to the CDI researchers and further experts for comment.

Fox News Digital's Angelica Stabile contributed reporting.