The latest deadly superbug — and why it’s not time to panic

I have to admit it: recent news reports about a newly described “superbug” are worrisome and at least a little bit terrifying. This time, it’s not a flesh-eating bacterium or drug-resistant tuberculosis — in fact, it’s not a bacterial infection at all. It’s a fungus called Candida auris (C. auris). If the first part of the name sounds familiar, that may be because other Candida species (such as Candida albicans, glabrata, and tropicalis) cause common vaginal and skin infections. They’re often called yeast infections and while quite bothersome, they only rarely cause serious illness. Candida auris is a completely different –– and much more dangerous –– organism. It gets its name from where it was first found: in the ear of an elderly woman in Japan. (“Auris” is Latin for ear.) A couple of curious things have emerged about this organism. It seemed to appear out of nowhere in several places around the world at the same time. And right from the start, it’s been highly resistant to several standard antifungal medications. Where and when has this superbug appeared before? Despite the recent attention, we’ve known about C. auris for a while. Here’s a quick chronology of its progress around the world: 2009: The organism is discovered in the ear of an elderly woman in Japan. However, it turns out that C. auris strains were also present in Pakistan and India in 2008 and 2009. 2012–2013: A medical center in Venezuela treats 18 patients with C. auris. 2...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Health trends Infectious diseases Men's Health Women's Health Source Type: blogs