The CDC is warning U.S hospitals to prepare for deadly multidrug-resistant Candida infections

Wednesday, July 06, 2016 by: Daniel Barker
Tags: superbugs, candida auris, drug resistant

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(NaturalNews) A dangerous new strain of drug-resistant yeast infection is spreading throughout the globe, and may soon reach the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

The deadly strain, called Candida auris, has killed 60 percent of patients who developed the fungal infection, and is resistant to most anti-fungal drugs commonly used to treat such infections.

From The Washington Post:

"Most people are familiar with the garden variety kind of yeast infections that people get on the skin or in their genitals. But invasive yeast infections can be fatal, especially for patients in intensive care or having surgery. Others at risk include people with diabetes, patients taking powerful antibiotics and antifungal medications, and those with catheters.

"This emerging strain of yeast, known as Candida auris, has triggered outbreaks in health-care settings, causing bloodstream, wound and ear infections. Since 2009, the pathogen has been found in nine countries on four continents, including one possible infection in the United States in 2013."

Hard to identify, difficult to treat

CDC officials issued an alert to healthcare facilities and medical associations that said: "CDC is concerned that C. auris will emerge in new locations, including the United States."

The concern is that two, and possibly all three, of the classes of anti-fungal drugs currently used to treat such infections may not be effective against C. auris, according to CDC fungus expert, Tom Chiller.

Another problem is that the strain may be easily misidentified:

"Invasive infections with any type of Candida can be fatal. Based on information from a limited number of patients, 60 percent of people with this new type of Candida infection have died, but it's not clear how many of them had other serious illnesses that also increased their risk of death.

"Most hospital labs in the United States also don't have the capacity to identify the new strain because it can be confused with other more common types of yeast. As a result, misidentification could lead to inappropriate treatment, he [Chiller] said.

"That's particularly important with this organism because the limited data so far suggests that the infections have occurred primarily in patients who were already in the hospital for other reasons. Unlike other types of yeast that typically spread from person to person, 'this one seems to get into hospital settings and stay there,' Chiller said, and may spread from contact with the environment, such as contaminated surfaces or equipment."

In recent years, the effectiveness of drugs in treating infections and illnesses has begun to diminish as more drug-resistant strains continue to develop. The overuse of antibiotics – and their presence in our food supply – has led to the rise of "superbugs" that are resistant to almost all current antibiotics, and no new antibiotics are being developed.

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Through a diet of natural superfoods and organic nutritional supplements, you can build your body's resistance against infections and disease.

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Sources:

WashingtonPost.com

CIDRAP.UMN.edu

MedicalDaily.com

Spirulina.NaturalNews.com

Science.NaturalNews.com