Texas reports 459 Candida auris cases as drug resistance rises
The CDC says 459 Texans have been infected with the drug-resistant fungus Candida auris since mid-August, the third-highest state total in the U.S., prompting researchers at UT Health San Antonio to call for better testing and new treatments.
Since mid-August, 459 people in Texas have been diagnosed with Candida auris, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, placing the state behind California and Nevada in reported cases. Nationwide, the CDC has logged more than 4,500 infections since Aug. 15, though experts believe the true number is higher.
UT Health San Antonio researchers highlighted growing concerns that Candida auris and other fungi are developing resistance to standard antifungal drugs. Dr. Nathan Wiederhold, who leads the fungus testing laboratory at the university, explained that the organism can persist on surfaces such as bed rails, doorknobs and medical equipment, spreading when cleaning is inadequate.
"Once it gets into a setting like a hospital room, you can find it on bed rails, doorknobs, mobile medical equipment," Wiederhold said.
He noted that while healthy individuals rarely become ill, patients with serious underlying conditions face a high risk of severe infection, with mortality rates ranging from 30% to 60% for those who develop invasive disease. About 90% of the isolates tested are resistant to fluconazole, a widely used antifungal, and resistance can arise from inappropriate medication choices or dosing.
"One of the major antifungals that’s used throughout the world called fluconazole, about 90% of the isolates are resistant to that drug," Wiederhold said.
Wiederhold called for increased clinician awareness, broader access to diagnostic testing, more clinical trials and the development of new antifungal agents. In the short term, he emphasized basic infection-control measures, recommending that patients, visitors and staff wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, with alcohol-based sanitizers as an additional tool.
UT Health San Antonio will continue its research on antifungal resistance while health officials monitor the spread of Candida auris across Texas and the United States.