Oregon health authorities have reported the first cases of the deadly fungal infection "Candida auris." The Oregon Health Authority confirmed in a statement that tests have detected the dangerous fungus in three individuals at Salem Regional Hospital. The statement noted that the first case of "Candida auris" in the hospital was identified on December 11, involving a patient who had recently received services from international healthcare facilities. The two other cases are linked to the first and were recorded on December 23 and December 27, respectively.
The statement emphasized that the infectious disease control program is leading an investigation in coordination with local health authorities, healthcare partners, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the local official laboratory, in order to identify any additional potential cases and take appropriate measures to prevent the spread of the fungus. Since 2013, over 1,150 cases of "Candida auris" have been recorded in the United States, but none in Oregon until now.
"Candida auris," first discovered in 2009, is one of the most dangerous types of fungus and is a multidrug-resistant infection that spreads in hospitals. According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this infection is fatal in up to one in three patients infected with it. "Candida auris" often spreads among hospitalized patients with weakened immune systems and can cause lethal infections affecting the bloodstream, central nervous system, and internal organs.
