Infections with Candida ear fungus, a super-persistent and potentially deadly microorganism, increased dramatically in the United States between 2019 and 2011, according to a study published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Specifically, researchers warn of increases in cases resistant to echinocandin, the main drug used to treat Candida fungus infections.
These types of cases were three times more frequent in 2021 than two years ago, according to the study, which developed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as those collected by health authorities at the national level. place and state. The data shows an increase in the percentage of infections with Candida ear, which went from 44% in 2019 to 95% in 2021.
For researchers who work for the CDC, the increase can be related to the problems that the covid-19 pandemic has produced in the health system, such as the lack of toilets or the use of more antimicrobial drugs.
The report emphasizes that Candida, which was first detected in the US in 2016, is listed as an “urgent threat” by the CDC due to drug resistance and high mortality.
Symptoms of Candida ear
Most cases occur in health centers, especially among patients who have been hospitalized or on mechanical ventilators for a long time, the authors explain.
Infection with this fungus can be asymptomatic or, in some cases, symptoms may not be noticed because patients with this infection are often already hospitalized with another serious disease or condition, according to the CDC. Therefore, a laboratory test is needed to determine if the patient has a Candida ear infection.
The fungus can also cause various symptoms on the affected part of the body. These can range from itching, redness and swelling to ear infections or a wound or drain.
