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A drug-resistant fungus that can cause life-threatening infections is spreading across parts of the United States, with data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing clinical cases of Candida auris reported in at least 27 states so far this year
A new map based on federal surveillance data highlights where the outbreak is most severe, with several states reporting hundreds of cases
According to the CDC’s National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, more than 3,400 clinical Candida auris (C. auris) cases had been reported among U.S. residents through July 25. Health officials have closely monitored the emerging fungus because it can be resistant to multiple antifungal medications and spreads readily in hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare settings caring for medically vulnerable patients
While the fungus poses little risk to most healthy people, experts have warned that it can cause severe infections among patients with weakened immune systems, invasive medical devices or other underlying health conditions. The CDC describes C. auris as an emerging public health threat and has reported a steady rise in cases in recent years as the pathogen becomes established in healthcare facilities across the country
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What Is Candida Auris?
Candida auris is an emerging species of yeast that can cause serious, and sometimes life-threatening, infections. First identified in 2009, the fungus has drawn concern from public health officials because it often resists multiple antifungal drugs, making some infections difficult to treat. The fungus can cause a range of illnesses, from skin and wound infections to invasive bloodstream infections that can become severe in medically vulnerable patients
C. auris spreads readily in healthcare settings and can survive on surfaces and medical equipment for extended periods. For that reason, the CDC considers it an urgent public health threat and has worked with hospitals, nursing homes and public health agencies to limit transmission
How Common Is Candida Auris?
Although C. aurisremains relatively rare among the general public, documented cases have risen sharply in the United States over the past decade. According to the CDC, 6,304 clinical cases were reported nationwide in 2024, continuing an upward trend that began after the fungus was first detected in the U.S. in 2013. Public health officials have warned that the pathogen is expanding its geographic footprint and becoming established in more healthcare facilities
In 2025, there were 4,290 Candida auris cases in the U.S., according to the CDC. So far this year, there have been 3,437 cases across 27 states
States reporting infections:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
California has reported the most infections with 873 so far this year, followed by Texas with 433, according to CDC data that accounts for information through the week of July 25
Most infections occur in hospitals, long-term care facilities and other settings that care for medically fragile patients. Experts stress, however, that healthy people generally face a low risk of infection, and the spread is concentrated among those with significant underlying health conditions
How Is Candida Auris Contracted?
C. auris spreads primarily through contact with contaminated surfaces, medical equipment or infected and colonized patients in health care settings. The fungus can persist on bed rails, medical devices and other surfaces for weeks, allowing it to move from patient to patient if stringent infection-control measures are not followed
People at greatest risk are those who are already seriously ill, have weakened immune systems or require complex medical care. Patients with ventilators, feeding tubes, catheters or other invasive medical devices are particularly vulnerable because the fungus can enter the body through those devices and cause invasive infections
Many people who carry C. auris develop no symptoms but can still spread it to others, which is one reason outbreaks in hospitals and nursing homes can be difficult to control
Contact Newsweek editors on this story:Kate NalepinskiandDave Siminoff
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