Health authorities have issued a global alert over the rapid spread of Candida auris, a multidrug-resistant fungus, now being referred to by some researchers as a “killer fungus.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) and various national health agencies have flagged C. auris as an urgent public health threat, linking its proliferation to climate change and rising global temperatures.
First identified in 2009, Candida auris has increasingly shown resistance to common antifungal treatments, making infections difficult to manage in healthcare settings. The fungus is especially dangerous for individuals with weakened immune systems and has been associated with high mortality rates in severe cases. Hospitals have reported outbreaks that are difficult to contain, as the fungus can survive on surfaces for weeks and is often misdiagnosed due to its similarity to other yeasts.
Recent climate studies suggest that the warming of the planet may be contributing to the fungus’s ability to thrive in human body temperatures, thus adapting it for human transmission. Public health experts are calling for increased monitoring, rapid diagnostic testing, and stricter hygiene protocols in hospitals and care homes to limit its spread.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported over 2,300 clinical cases in 2023 alone, with cases also rising in the United Kingdom, India, Brazil, and South Africa. Scientists warn that if left uncontained, Candida auris could become a more frequent and deadly problem in healthcare environments globally.
