For the first time in Tuscany, in Pisa to be precise, the dreaded candida auris was isolated. The man who contracted the infection is currently hospitalized in the infectious disease ward and, fortunately, seems to be responding well to treatment.
But what is candida auris and why is it causing so much concern in the health sector?
Candida Auris, what it is and why it is so dangerous
Candida auris is a fungus that the WHO (World Health Organization) itself has defined as one global threat as it shows resistance against various antifungals.
The first known case of White ears It dates back to 1996 when it was first identified. However, it owes its name to the sample taken in 2009 from the ear of a woman (auris in Latin) in Japan. The first European outbreaks date back to the spring of 2015 in France while the first case in Italy was detected in 2019.
It is therefore a “recent” pathogen but which took a short time to be included in the list of “special guards”. This particular type of mushroom, which can determine forms of candidiasisin fact presents some characteristics that give rise to particular concern. But what are they?
The mushroom White ears proved to be resistant to most of the existing antifungals and is able to persist for a long time in the environment.
Although it causes serious clinical pictures in only 10% of cases, when it happens mortality is high, especially in fragile patients such as the elderly, children and, in general, patients with an already proven immune system.
Candida auris, how it is contracted and what are the symptoms
Also called super mushroom (because of its resistance to antifungals) e fungo killer (due to the high mortality rate among frail patients), the origin of this dreaded microorganism remains unknown. The most accredited hypothesis at the moment remains that of a “birth” favored by theindiscriminate use of antibiotics and antifungals.
As for the mode of transmission e infection we know they happen through contact with surfaces or contaminated objects and through human contact. Particularly insidious are the outbreaks that develop in the hospital also because, as previously underlined, the fungus is able to resist in the environment for a long time.
As regards instead i symptomsthese vary according to the site of the infection which, generally, is expressed in bloodstream infections, wound infections, otitis, internal abdominal infections.
I symptoms derived from such infections are usually characterized by:
-
•
-
•
swallowing difficulties.
In the most serious cases, candidiasis can then degenerate also causing sepsis.
Read also: Beware of these bacteria, they are the most dangerous in the world according to the WHO