The Candida auris fungus has become a worldwide concern and is already causing the fourth major outbreak in Brazil. Know the details of the pathogen.
The Secretary of Health of Pernambuco last week confirmed three cases of infection with candida aurispopularly known as the “super mushroom”.
According to the information released so far, the patients are male and have been admitted to three different hospitals in the cities of Paulista, Olinda and Recife.
The first diagnosis took place on May 11 at the Miguel Arraes hospital in Paulista. For now, the health unit has stopped making new appointments to prevent more people from being affected by this pathogen.
OR candida auris it was detected in the other two individuals on May 14 and 23, respectively.
Experts have not yet managed to establish a chain of transmission and whether there is any relationship between the three episodes that occurred in different places.
The government of Pernambuco announced on Friday (26/5) the creation of a specific committee to monitor and treat cases of infection.
It is not the first time that the state has suffered from an outbreak of this type: between December 2021 and September 2022, the Hospital da Restauração, in Recife, registered 47 people affected by this “superfungus”.
But why candida auris cause so much concern? And what are the individual and collective risks of this mushroom?
Contamination difficult to control
In most cases, such yeasts candidate they reside on the skin, mouth, and genitals without causing problems, but they can cause infections when a person has low immunity or when this fungus invades the bloodstream or lungs.
In the specific case of candida aurisIt often causes blood flow problems, but it can also affect the respiratory system, central nervous system and internal organs, as well as the skin.
The most common symptoms of this fungal infection are fever, chills, excessive sweating and low blood pressure – but there are many individuals who don’t have many suggestive discomforts.
The pathogen was first studied in 2009 in the ear canal of a patient in Japan, but recent research found strains of it in 1996 in South Korea.
The average mortality rate of this disease is estimated at 39%, according to calculations in a study by seven Chinese researchers published in the scientific journal BMC Infectious Diseases in November 2020.
According to the infectious disease specialist Arnaldo Lopes Colombo, professor at the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp) and specialist in fungal contamination, it is possible to be temporarily colonized by C. auris on the skin or mucous membranes without problems. The fungus presents a real risk if it contaminates the bloodstream.
For the person to be infected, he told BBC News Brasil in 2019, they must have undergone invasive procedures (such as surgery and use of a central venous catheter) or have a compromised immune system.
Patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICU) for long periods and with previous use of antibiotics or antifungals are also considered a group at risk of contamination.
Also, the candida auris it is often confused with other infections, leading to inadequate treatment.
To top it off, common cleaners and disinfectants are not sufficient to eliminate the fungus from the environment. Often, healthcare workers have to shut down entire hospital wards and apply special products to make that place safe again to receive patients.
From a preventative perspective, they can help basic care with hand hygiene, the use of protective equipment in settings such as the ICU, and constant surveillance.
drug resistance
Since 2022, the candida auris it is on the World Health Organization (WHO) list of priority pathogens that pose a health risk.
In the United States, the infection is spreading rapidly and at an “alarming” rate, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Cases in the United States nearly doubled in 2021: from 756 to 1,471, according to a report from the entity released in March of this year.
In most of the infections diagnosed in the American lands, the fungus was resistant to available treatments.
For this reason, the CDC classifies the situation as an “urgent threat related to antimicrobial resistance.” Many affected patients are in hospitals and nursing homes.
Another cause for concern is the increase in cases that have become “echinocandin resistant,” which is the most recommended class of antifungals for treating echinocandin infection. Candida auris.
The CDC attributes the increase to a lack of preventative measures in health care settings and improvements in case diagnosis and follow-up services.
Another factor that appears to have contributed, according to the body, was the stress on the health system related to the covid-19 pandemic.
In Brazil, at least four major outbreaks related to this microorganism have been identified in recent years.
The episode that took place in Recife between 2021 and 2022 was the subject of a study published this year by scientists from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FioCruz).
According to the researchers, the candida auris “requires great vigilance due to its high capacity to form colonies and biofilms, which contributes to the spread of the fungus”.
‘A rapid and accurate identification of this species is essential to manage, control and prevent infections,’ conclude the experts.
Source: Terra
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