NORFOLK, Va. — A drug resistance fungus is spreading worldwide and has found its way to Virginia, according to health experts.
It targets people with weakened immune systems.
Cases in the U.S. started popping up in 2013, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Over the last 10 years cases of Candida Auris have climbed including in Virginia. Officials with the Virginia Department of Health have called the deadly fungus a concern for a couple of reasons.
"It's emerged quickly around the world and it has shown resistance to some of the types of medications that we usually use to treat fungal infections," said Dr. Caitlin Pedati with the Virginia Beach Department of Health.
Dr. Pedati said in 2009 this fungus was reported in Japan and has since made its way to the United States. Data from the CDC shows that since 2013, there have been 5,654 clinical cases in the US.
In Virginia, there are currently 40 cases.
Patrick Jackson, an assistant professor of infectious diseases at the University of Virginia said it spreads through close human contact and can affect people differently.
"So for example, if it gets into the bloodstream sometimes with a urinary tract or GI system. This can cause actual illness, Jackson said. "On the other hand people can live without knowing this is living on their skin probably indefinitely."
Jackson also said the human body can create a comfortable environment for fungi.
"We know that most funguses live in the environment. Candida Auris also lives in the environment and one of the things Candida Auris likes to live in is it likes to live in wetlands or marshes as global warming occurs one thing that happens in wetlands is that they become warmer and saltier humans are also warm and salty from a funguses perspective," Jackson said.
Unfortunately, it harms people who are immunocompromised in care facilities.
While the fungus has been resistant to some medicines, Doctor Pedati says it's been treated successfully in the past. In terms of fungus symptoms, she says it can vary.
"Symptoms that you may have or a person may have with this fungus depends on what part of the body it's impacting," Dr. Pedati said. "Sometimes that's an infection in the blood, an infection in a wound or even things like ear infections so this is one of those that can move to different parts of the body and has different types of infection."
The Virginia Department of Health is encouraging people who have potentially been exposed or have it to report it right away. You can find more details by clicking the link here.
