The first case of Candida auris<\/a>was reported in the U.S. in 2013<\/a>, and cases have been steadily rising. Last year, there were 3,348 confirmed cases. The U.S. is already on track to beat that number: As of July 18, there were 3,130 confirmed cases, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control<\/a>\u2019s latest data.<\/p>\n The biggest concern for the fungus\u2019 spread is in healthcare settings. As the CDC explains, \u201cC. auris can be multidrug-resistant and can cause life-threatening illness. It spreads easily in healthcare facilities and mostly affects people who are already very sick.\u201d<\/p>\n Stock image of an intensive care unitCredit: Getty<\/p>\n It\u2019s often transmitted by someone who is asymptomatic, the Cleveland Clinic <\/a>says. It causes fever, chills, lethargy, a drop in body temperature, low blood pressure, but a higher heart rate, and a specific type of ear infection.<\/p>\n People who are sickened by C. auris are usually severely ill, with those at the highest risk of infection are patients reliant on invasive medical equipment, like breathing tubes, feeding tubes or catheters, or those who\u2019ve overused antibiotics or antifungals in the past.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhat makes Candida auris especially concerning is its resistance profile,\u201d Nathan Wiederhold, PharmD<\/a>, director of the Fungus Testing Laboratory and professor at The University of Texas at San Antonio told UT Health<\/a>. \u201cMany strains are resistant to azoles, one of our major antifungal drug classes, and some are also resistant to amphotericin B, which is often considered a drug of last resort.\u201d<\/p>\n Take PEOPLE with you! Subscribe to PEOPLE magazine<\/a> to get the latest details on celebrity news, exclusive royal updates, how-it-happened true crime stories and more \u2014 right to your mailbox.<\/p>\n Cases are highest in Texas, where the state\u2019s count of 706 has already surpassed the amount of cases recorded in the state throughout the entirety of 2025 (660). Michigan comes in second with 503 cases. It\u2019s bleak news for a state that\u2019s already in the midst of a fatal outbreak<\/a> of cyclospora<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cFungal infections are often overlooked because they are not as common as bacterial infections,\u201d Wiederhold said. \u201cBut they can be much more difficult to diagnose and treat, and we\u2019re seeing increasing spread and resistance.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Stock](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/68df7bd3-6098-4d29-a71f-19e1fbfc542d.jpg\"\/)
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