Treatment-resistant fungus cases rising in Kansas: KDHE

TOPEKA (KSNT) – Kansas health officials are alerting healthcare professionals about a troubling increase in cases of a fungus that is often difficult or impossible to treat.

Public health officials are monitoring a rise in cases of Candidozyma auris (C. auris), formerly Candida auris, in Kansas, according to an alert from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Sept. 25. The KDHE posted the alert in an effort to warn healthcare workers about the dangers associated with the fungus and the threat it poses to people staying in hospitals and healthcare centers.

C. auris is described by the KDHE as a “multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen” that usually targets people who have severe underlying health conditions, complex healthcare needs or invasive medical devices. Healthcare workers and the general public are unlikely to get sick or carry the fungus.

“C. auris is highly transmissible in healthcare settings. Persons who are colonized or infected can spread C. auris onto surfaces around them which can spread to others.”
KDHE health alert excerpt

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that C. auris is a type of yeast that can cause severe, even life-threatening, illnesses. It can cause superficial skin infections and more severe bloodstream infections.

The KDHE confirmed the first reported case of C. auris in June 2024. Between that initial discovery and Sept. 25 this year, 14 cases have been reported. The majority of infections have been reported in the Kansas City, Kansas Metro or Wichita areas.

C. auris can contaminate equipment and surfaces in healthcare settings, including things like bedrails and doorknobs. The KDHE encourages healthcare professionals to consult the Environmental Protection Agency’s website for a list of products that are effective at getting rid of the fungus.

Healthcare professionals are being urged to follow standard hand hygiene practices and contact precautions for those working in acute care and long-term care hospitals. Healthcare workers are encouraged to contact the KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at kdhe.epihotline@ks.gov with questions about C. auris cases and guidance.

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