CDC issues warning about a fungus called Candida auris

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning about Candida auris, a fungus that can lead to drug-resistant infections and even death, in some cases. Capt. Arjun Srinivasan, deputy director of program improvement for the CDC's division of health care quality, discusses the rise in drug-resistant microbes and superbugs with CBS News' Anne-Marie Green and Vladimir Duthiers.

#news #health #fungus

[latayiahicks]

On March 11 my son died of a fungal infection in his blood. After completing one round of chemo. I’m still so heartbroken. The doctors didn’t listen when I said he is getting sicker and sicker. They just kept saying it was the chemo. He was only 28 and such a beautiful soul and they allowed him to die.

[letaki]

Such a dishonest conversation. You cannot be telling people to wash and disinfect their hands to protect themselves from bacteria. At the same time, the biggest cause of antibiotic resistance occurs through the very food we mass produce and consume... But oh wait, I forgot, the economy of our healthcare system thrives on people getting sick.

[aclem]

I am a hospital worker and although my hospital mentions what an individual patient may have and posts a sign outside each door saying if you need to gown up etc to go into the room, they don't do much more than that. I have been told that all these warnings are hype and that if you have a normal healthy immune system you won't get any of these fungal infections. There has been Candida Auris in my hospital and I have had to work with a patient who had it. I am wondering at the hospitals role in preventing further infection, particularly when it comes to hospital workers and whether it is worth working in a hospital at all anymore given the low pay and risk. We just went thru covid and believe me we were required to work with covid patients and there wasn't any extra pay for doing so.

[sandraelder]

MORE IMPORTANTLY: What are the symptoms & how is it spread??? That would’ve been helpful to hear. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[timcasady]

Don’t forget to remove your shoes when you enter your home as the risk of transfer of bacteria and fungus are easily spread by shoe’s as people walk through a multitude of bio hazards throughout the day.

[Jalex]

I remember reading about this in 2018. Opened my eyes to how we have tons of antibacterial drugs but only 3 classes of anti fungal drugs. If a fungal pandemic hits we’re doomed.

[jeanwonnacott]

In 2017, I was hospitalized. My left lung and the sac around my heart were filled with fluid, after the flu. I don't remember being triaged. One week later, they sent me home. I immediately started vomiting. Everything. Could not sip water. I went back. Stayed another week, curing what they gave me. This is fairly normal. They get paid pennies, and do not do a good job of cleaning. I know this. Hospitals scare me. I watched them clean. And had to wipe down my own bed, after they left. PAY THEM MORE.

[EM-ycil]

Why doesn't the CDC issue warnings about the BHT in your kids' cereals or the glyphosate on all of your produce?

[toledo]

This guy is too happy talking about such a serious matter.

[silkyrobinson]

Well this is been going on with MRSA for quite some time I'm surprised they don't make the comparison I was hospitalized with MRSA in my knee which is an advanced form of antibiotic-resistant staph infection.. and almost lost my leg to it. It's more common, than people would like to believe.

[ghungroogangatesh]

Please, all diabetics be careful, those who recovered from COVID recently be careful 🙏🏾🙏🏾😔

[ReaditLife_Chron_]

Folks were asking for more info: Candidiasis is an increasingly important nosocomial infection, (it's caused by a patient's caretakers). Although Candida albicans, (causes vaginal infections in women) is the most common cause of candidemia, (now it's growing in your bloodstream - which is normally sterile), there has been increased isolation of non-albicans species of Candida in recent years. C. Auris is an invasive species of Candida (a fungus). Patients in the intensive care unit and those who are immunocompromised are most at risk for the development of candidemia. The clinical manifestations of candidemia vary from minimal fever to a full-blown sepsis syndrome that resembles severe bacterial infection. Invasive candidiasis is defined by hematogenous spread to multiple viscera (e.g., eye, kidney, heart valves, brain). Clinical clues on physical examination that point to possible hematogenous spread of Candida include characteristic eye lesions (chorioretinitis with or without vitritis), skin lesions, and, much less commonly, muscle abscesses. Management of candidemia consists of early and appropriate antifungal therapy and targeted source control, along with individualized decisions regarding central venous catheter removal. Blood cultures should be performed daily or every other day after initiation of antifungal therapy and catheter removal to establish clearance of candidemia. Initial therapy — Treatment of candidemia consists of prompt initiation of antifungal therapy. Antifungal agents include the echinocandins, the azoles, and amphotericin B formulations. In patients with infections due to Candida auris, targeted initial treatment is done with an echinocandin (anti-fungal).

[cadilacdesert]

the first question should have been, What are the symptoms!!

[meechibell]

They need to start having extremely thorough and surprise inspections on the cleanliness of hospitals AND their staff to save lives! I mean this must be happening because the hospitals and nursing homes are not cleaned and then sanitized properly after each patient or resident either leaves or dies. And then hearing the spread of it from one patient to another makes me think of how since the 1990's our family has had to deal with nurses and doctors on a regular basis, in offices and in hospitals, due to chronic illnesses in our family, with suppressed immune systems too, and it has been shocking, and scary, to witness first hand the lack of nurses and doctors washing their hands correctly before trying to touch and work with someone in our family!!! We've gotten sick due to nurses and doctors giving us illnesses and we know it was them each time because they were the only ones we saw in months as we are homebound much of the time due to the illnesses. I can not remember 1 time when a doctor or nurse entered our room where we DIDN'T have to ask them to wash their hands before starting their visit with us and THEN it's sickening to watch them NOT wash their hands thoroughly which now, thanks to the Covid pandemic, the entire world KNOWS you have to sudds up hands, then vigorously scrub for 30 seconds and then rinse hands thoroughly for 22-30 seconds as well. Most of the time the nurses and doctors we've seen take about 10-15 seconds total to wash their hands and they're ALWAYS bothered and put out by us asking them to do so too... even after we remind them we have suppressed immune systems... it's crazy!! I even had to drop 1 doctor because she refused to wash her hands and wanted to just put on gloves that her germy hands had to first handle to put them on! It's bad out there, so I am not shocked that this is happening and am praying that no one in our family has to go to a hospital any time soon.

[southernphunk]

That man works for the CDC and basically said he don’t know nothing about this fungus

[northernhills]

(2:48) Regarding hand-washing, the reporter claims "bacteria are even resistant to washing and scrubbing." Just in case the CDC guy's answer was not clear: that statement is wrong. Washing your hands *correctly* with soap and water is a mechanical process that, when used with proper soap, acts to encase and lift off dirt and bacteria, which rinse away, and that is why it may be even more effective than the alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

[Maxine]

So The Last Of Us was first a video game, than a tv show, and now it's apparently becoming a real life with this fungus.

[christinamann]

We should be diligent in our hygiene in general

[wendysherbert]

I really liked this guest. He provided clear and helpful information with practical solutions and didn’t freak us all out! lol As a teacher, I will make sure my kiddos wash with soap!

[ryanwessell]

This is a very good, real life-threatening example of the power of evolution. The fungus evolves to be better adapted to its environment, in this case an environment that is filled with anti-fungal medicines. Same things for viruses (HIV, COVID), and bacteria (TB).