On Monday, March 2020, 2023, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), issued a warning in reference to Candida auris. This potentially fatal drug-resistant fungus has spread across the United States at an alarming rate. 

   First identified in 2009, this fungus is notoriously difficult to identify with standard laboratory methods. Misidentification has caused massive outbreaks in medical settings. The CDC reports that in 2022, there were 2,377 clinical cases and 5,754 screening cases in the US. 

   Candida auris, commonly known as C. auris, is a strain of yeast that causes severe infections in the immunocompromised population. Based on limited case information, the CDC estimates that 30% to 60% of individuals infected with C. auris have died. Furthermore, C. auris has proven resistant to all three classes of existing antifungals.

   There are two groups predominantly at risk of contracting invasive Candida auris infections. First are patients in intensive care units who have intravenous catheters and are receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics. Second are patients with weak immune systems, such as those with cancer or human immunodeficiency virus. 

   The recent emergence of Candida auris has caused panic in medical communities. Hospitals received a staggering amount of patients with weak immune systems throughout the Covid-19 epidemic, which allowed for C. auris to spread expeditiously. Furthermore, an abundance of communal surfaces and equipment pose an ability for outbreaks in medical facilities.

   Currently, the CDC states that the best measure to combat C. auris is proper preventative care, both at an individual and organizational level. Adherence to hand hygiene, screening contacts of newly identified case patients, and properly cleaning and disinfecting patient environments will all aid the spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens and fungi. New antifungal drugs remain under development.