Wisconsin Is A Hot Spot For A Deadly Fungus

When I first heard about this, it sounded like something straight out of the hit HBO show 'The Last of Us.'

As if we already didn't have a whole lot to worry about, now there's some sort of fungus we should be keeping an eye out for? It can lead to complications with medication and even death according to experts.

Unfortunately, it seems to be making a home right here in the Midwest.

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What Is Candida auris?

According to the CDC, Candida auris otherwise known as C. auris is a type of yeast that reportedly causes "severe illness."

It easily can spread through healthcare facilities and infect some of the most vulnerable patients. This fungus also can cause infections in the ears, open wounds, and the bloodstream.

There are cases of people contracting C. auris and NOT getting sick.

However, one of the main concerns that comes with this dangerous yeast is that it is actually resistant to anti-fungal treatments, according to experts at the CDC.

Number of C. auris clinical cases through December 31, 2022

Nationwide Cases

Reports confirm that this fungus is spreading throughout over half of the country. In 2022, twenty-eight states had confirmed cases of C. auris.

These include Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.

In this report, it was determined that Nevada, California, Florida, New York, Illinois, and Texas have the highest number of cases on average.

What About Wisconsin?

Taking a look at data from the past several years, there has been a clear increase in cases of C. auris in Wisconsin. According to a report from the Wisconsin Department of Health, there were virtually no cases of this fungus up until 2021.

There was one report of C. auris in Wisconsin in 2021, five in 2022, and twenty-one in 2023. So far, this year there has been one reported case of this deadly fungus.

This is the latest data as of February 20th, 2024.

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