Signs and symptoms of fast-rising 'overlooked killer' fungal infection
A fast-rising fungal infection may be little known to people in the UK, but it has been present in parts of the country since 2019, and has been described by a top expert as an "overlooked killer".
Candida auris (C. auris) is a fungus that can cause serious illness. Some strains are resistant to multiple drugs, meaning medications designed to kill the fungus and stop infections do not work, so are hard to treat.
C. auris most commonly spreads in hospitals or long-term care facilities. People with underlying health conditions or who are immunocompromised are most at risk for C. auris infections.
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Dr. David Perlin, one of the world's top experts on fungi and Chief Scientific Officer at Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation in the US, told the Record: "This is a fungal pathogen which is rather unusual.
"Normally pathogens exist outside of the body and don't survive well but this particular type of Candida can be found in oral cavities like the genital tract.
"It's very stable on surfaces like desks and hospital beds and persists on the skin for long periods of time. It's quite resilient... and often drug resistant to existing antifungal drugs."
C. auris can cause ear infections, wound infections, and urinary tract infections (UTIs), as well as infections in your blood that spread to the rest of your body.
You can contract C. auris from contaminated surfaces or from other people who have a C. auris infection. Unlike other types of Candida, experts don't believe C. auris lives naturally on your body.
In August, a new variant of C. auris was identified in Singapore. The clade is accelerating across the globe, and sparking major concern among scientists.
Dr. Perlin went on: "We are experiencing major outbreaks throughout the world... and we are seeing clades emerging in different regions... it has ended up in the UK... which is not unexpected given the mobility of people these days.
"The concern is that it often colonises. People in nursing homes and hospital patients are a problem, then, because the colonising strain persists on the skin and so wounds can become infected.
"This could potentially lead to severe illness and death."
According to available data, there have been no reported cases of C. auris in Scotland. Public Health Scotland has issued guidance for the investigation, management and prevention and control for cases of C. auris, though.
Most Candida auris cases detected in the UK have been concentrated down south. Between 2013 and 2021, a total of 304 C. auris isolates were reported through laboratory surveillance in England.
So, what are the signs and symptoms?
Dr. Perlin says the symptoms of C. auris are "not dissimilar from other types of fungal infections". Some people with C. auris may not exhibit any symptoms and ultimately, there is not a common set of symptoms.
The symptoms depend on the location and severity of C. auris infection. Symptoms may be similar to symptoms of an infection caused by bacteria. The Cleveland Clinic has outlined some symptoms of the infection to look out for.
Symptoms:
Fever.
Chills.
Lethargy (extreme tiredness).
Low blood pressure.
High heart rate (tachycardia).
Low body temperature (hypothermia).
Pain, pressure or feeling of fullness in your ear (C. auris ear infection).
Since many people who get C. auris infections are already seriously ill, symptoms of C. auris may not be noticeable. Many people carrying C. auris don’t have symptoms but can still pass it to someone else.
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