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Candida auris: Dangerous fungal disease spreads in Germany

2023-05-23T19:29:23.494Z

Highlights: Candida auris, a fungal infection, first appeared in 2009. Since then, the multiply resistant species has been spreading worldwide. Researchers at the University of Würzburg show that Germany is also affected. The number of cases is still low, but researchers see an urgent need for action. The first case was registered in 2015, and in 2021 and 2022 there were twelve patients each with Candida Auris in Germany. In the USA, there are said to be almost 1500 cases.



The fungal infection Candida auris is spreading in Germany. The numbers are still low, but researchers see an urgent need for action.

Würzburg – A fungal infection called Candida auris is spreading more and more worldwide. The germs are apparently becoming increasingly resistant. Researchers at the University of Würzburg show that Germany is also affected. "It's worth doing something now," says Oliver Kurzai, co-author of the analysis in Germany. Because there is good news and bad news.

Candida auris: The number of cases is also rising in Germany

Compared to the USA, the figures in Germany seem to be at a very low level. The first case was registered in 2015, and in 2021 and 2022 there were twelve patients each with Candida auris. In the USA, there are said to be almost 1500 cases, reports the Frankfurter Rundschau.

Compared to other European countries, "fortunately, the number of cases here is still low," confirms Alexander Aldejohann, co-author of the study at the University of Würzburg. Nevertheless, caution is advised. The researchers recorded, albeit at a low level, a significant increase in the number of cases.

Candida auris

The fungal infection appeared out of nowhere in several places around the world at once in 2009. Since then, it has been spreading increasingly – mainly in the USA and in Italy, Spain and Great Britain.

The pathogen is considered dangerous because it is resistant to common antifungal drugs. In addition, Candida auris is difficult to detect, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC). The pathogen is transmitted from person to person, but can also survive on surfaces for several weeks. The infection usually manifests itself through fever and chills, the CDC informs. In healthy people, the risk of severe infection is predominantly low. In immunocompromised patients, however, the death rate can range from 30 to 60 percent, according to the CDC, referring to a limited amount of data.

According to the study, 80 percent of the fungal strains examined were highly resistant to a common antifungal agent. In addition, in 2021 and 2022 there was probably a transmission in connection with medical treatment, for example to hospitals, practices or care facilities. This should be seen as an alarm signal, according to the University of Würzburg – also because the number of unreported cases could be higher, because Germany has no obligation to report the infection.

Candida auris in Germany: Researchers recommend rapid action – introduction of a reporting system

So if the number of cases is currently rising, how long will it take for infection rates in Germany to be similar to those in the USA? "We have to make sure that it takes as long as possible until then," warned co-author Kurzai in an interview with Der Spiegel. A reporting obligation for Candida auris is urgently needed. The data showed that cases have so far been incompletely recorded. "It's worth doing something now," Kurzai said.

Candida auris, a fungal infection, first appeared in 2009. Since then, the multiply resistant species has been spreading worldwide. © Nicolas Armer/dpa

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However, the researcher also emphasizes: "Candida auris is "not a killer germ against which nothing can be done". Hygiene measures could help if taken quickly. To do this, however, laboratories would need to know which fungus it is. And even though Candida auris is difficult to detect, it apparently has an advantage over viruses such as Covid-19 as a fungal infection. The dissemination rate is much slower. So far, no patient in German hospitals has had to be "afraid of becoming infected with Candida auris," Aldejohann emphasizes. But Kurzai is already assuming "that after Candida auris, other novel fungi can be dangerous to humans." And resistance to antibiotics is also increasingly becoming a problem. (chd)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2023-05-23

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