Cases of the dangerous fungal infection Candida auris in the United States have more than doubled between 2022 and 2024, according to new data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Researchers at the agency reported that the total number of clinical cases reached 6,197 last year, up from 2,882 two years earlier.
Surge in Cases
The CDC recorded an increase of 3,315 clinical cases — those in which the fungus is causing an active infection. At the same time, the number of cases detected through screening, which identifies people carrying the yeast without symptoms, nearly doubled. First reported in the United States in 2016, Candida auris typically affects individuals with severe underlying medical conditions and can lead to organ failure, sepsis and shock. Common symptoms include severe flu-like illness, low blood pressure and body temperature, and a high heart rate, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Growing Resistance
Although many cases can still be treated with a class of antifungal medications called echinocandins, the fungus is showing increasing resistance, complicating treatment. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified Candida auris as a “critical priority fungal pathogen” because of its multidrug resistance, environmental persistence and high transmissibility. Globally, some strains have demonstrated resistance to all available antifungal treatments. Resistance to first-line drugs such as fluconazole is already common, and the yeast is also developing resistance to echinocandins and amphotericin B, the remaining treatment options. The CDC researchers noted the trend is particularly worrying because treatment options are already limited. In response, research is under way to develop new drugs; a £1.45 million grant has been awarded to King’s College London to create efflux-resistant antifungal agents designed to overcome the resistance mechanisms in Candida auris.
How It Spreads
The yeast can enter the body through medical devices such as catheters and IV lines, but it also spreads easily from patients to surrounding objects and surfaces, where it can survive for weeks, the CDC says. Patients who are most likely to spread the fungus often show no symptoms themselves; these individuals are described as “colonized,” meaning the yeast is present on their body without making them ill. Both infected and colonised patients can transmit Candida auris. Colonisation can persist for two years or more, and there is currently no treatment to clear it, according to UMass Memorial Health. The CDC stresses that healthy individuals — including healthcare workers and visitors — generally do not carry or become sick from Candida auris. The fungus primarily spreads through direct contact with contaminated surfaces, medical equipment, or directly with colonised or infected people, with unwashed hands a significant factor in hospital transmission.
Prevention and Screening
Healthcare providers are advised to take several steps to contain outbreaks. Patients who are infected or colonised should be isolated in single rooms. Rooms must be cleaned frequently using special disinfectants, and staff must wear gloves and gowns. Visitors should wash their hands with soap and water. “Patients infected or colonized with C. auris often continue to have it on their skin or other body sites for a very long time. Precautions are taken until they are discharged,” the CDC notes. Screening is a critical tool for identifying “colonised” patients who can unknowingly spread the fungus. The CDC researchers suggested the recent increase in US cases may be partly due to improved screening and testing, as well as the strain placed on healthcare systems during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Impact and Mortality
Invasive infections caused by Candida auris carry high mortality rates. Globally, death rates range from 30% to 60%, though the exact figure is difficult to determine because most infected patients already have other serious health problems. In the United States, 30-day mortality for bloodstream infections is 39%, rising to 58% at 90 days. The yeast can become deadly when it enters the blood or urine. In the UK, data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show that between January 2013 and September 2025, 15% (115 of 744) of patients with a positive specimen died within 60 days. However, the fungus was listed as the primary cause of death in only 1% of those cases; the vast majority of deaths were attributed to other clinical causes. One UK outbreak reported zero mortality at the time of publication.
UK Situation
Candida auris is not yet as widespread in England as in some other countries, but outbreaks have occurred. As of September 2025, a total of 862 cases — both colonisations and infections — had been reported in England between 2013 and 2025. In 2024 alone, 178 cases were recorded. Most have been concentrated in the London and South-East regions, with the fungus detected in 72 hospitals over the past two years and nearly 500 cases reported. A notable outbreak at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London identified 222 cases. In Scotland, Public Health Scotland has reported eight cases (seven colonisations and one infection), all linked to repatriation or recent hospitalisation abroad. From April 2025, Candida auris became a notifiable organism in England, meaning laboratories are required to report all cases to the UKHSA.
Global Emergence and Challenges
First identified in Japan in 2009, Candida auris has spread rapidly to every continent except Antarctica, with more than 84,000 cases reported across 82 countries as of December 2025. Its ability to survive on hospital surfaces — including bedside equipment, radiators, windowsills and sinks — for weeks or months makes eradication difficult. The fungus is also hard to diagnose using routine laboratory methods, leading to delays. Some research suggests its capacity to thrive at higher temperatures may be linked to climate change, potentially aiding its adaptation to the human body. The WHO’s classification of Candida auris as a critical priority pathogen underscores the global challenge it presents to healthcare systems.
