Key Takeaways
- CDC data show 3,130 confirmed Candida auris screening cases across 23 states through July 18, 2026, compared with 3,348 screening cases at the same point in 2025. Texas and Michigan reported the highest screening totals.
- The superbug primarily spreads in healthcare settings via contaminated surfaces and equipment, preying on critically ill patients with devices like breathing tubes or catheters, and can silently colonize people without symptoms before triggering deadly bloodstream infections.
- Experts warn that Candida auris is difficult to diagnose and treat because many strains resist key antifungal drugs such as azoles and even amphotericin B, contributing to high mortality rates and making it one of the CDC’s most closely watched emerging threats worldwide.
Candida auris is spreading faster than health officials can comfortably ignore. New Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show 3,130 confirmed Candida auris screening cases across 23 states as of July 18, compared with 3,348 screening cases at the same point in 2025. These numbers signal that one of the world's most dangerous fungal pathogens isn't slowing down.
According to People, the latest surge is being driven almost entirely by healthcare settings, where Candida auris spreads between vulnerable patients through contaminated surfaces, shared medical equipment, and close contact. Texas has reported the nation’s highest screening count, with 706 cases recorded through July 18, compared with 660 at the same point in 2025.
Unlike many infections, Candida auris rarely threatens healthy people. Instead, it targets patients who are already critically ill, particularly those relying on breathing tubes, IV lines, feeding tubes, or urinary catheters. The fungus can also be carried by people with no symptoms at all, allowing it to quietly spread through healthcare facilities before it's detected.
Once it enters the bloodstream, however, it can rapidly escalate into sepsis, organ failure, and other life-threatening complications.
Doctors say the biggest challenge isn't just stopping the fungus—it's treating it. "What makes Candida auris especially concerning is its resistance profile," Nathan Wiederhold, PharmD, director of the Fungus Testing Laboratory and professor at The University of Texas at San Antonio, said to the outlet. "Many strains are resistant to azoles, one of our major antifungal drug classes, and some are also resistant to amphotericin B, which is often considered a drug of last resort."
He added that fungal infections "can be much more difficult to diagnose and treat, and we're seeing increasing spread and resistance."
The latest spike builds on years of warnings from infectious disease experts. First identified in Japan in 2009 and detected in the U.S. four years later, Candida auris has now been reported in more than 50 countries. Researchers have documented strains resistant to multiple antifungal drugs—and, in rare cases, every major class of antifungal medication.
Because the fungus is often mistaken for other organisms during routine testing, patients can experience delays in receiving the right treatment while outbreaks continue to grow.
Although Candida auris remains largely confined to healthcare environments, its expanding footprint has made it one of the CDC's most closely watched emerging threats. Previous agency estimates found that 30% to 60% of infected patients died, though many had serious underlying illnesses that also contributed to those outcomes.
