CDC reports 3,437 Candida auris cases in 27 states in 2026

Provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that 3,437 clinical cases of Candida auris have been identified in 27 states as of the week ending July 25, 2026. California reported the highest number of cases at 873, followed by Texas with 433 and Tennessee with 283.

Candida auris is a yeast that can cause infections, particularly in hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities. The CDC notes that the organism can persist on surfaces such as bedrails, doorknobs and medical equipment, facilitating transmission between patients. It may also be carried without symptoms, a condition known as colonization.

The agency defines a clinical case as the detection of the fungus in a specimen collected during routine medical care, which does not always indicate an active infection. Patients with severe underlying conditions, especially those using breathing tubes, feeding tubes, IV lines or catheters, are at higher risk.

"It is resistant to multiple antifungal drugs and tends to spread in hospital settings, including on equipment used with immunocompromised patients," said Dr. Marc Siegel, a senior medical analyst.

Invasive infections have been linked to mortality rates ranging from 30% to 72%, though many affected individuals are already critically ill. More than 90% of U.S. isolates are resistant to fluconazole, and while echinocandins remain the primary treatment, some strains show resistance to all three main antifungal classes. The CDC classifies Candida auris as an urgent antimicrobial-resistance threat and notes ongoing research into new therapies.