Health alert as UK hospital outbreaks linked to 'rapidly emerging' fungal infection

Health alert as UK hospital outbreaks linked to 'rapidly emerging' fungal infection Newspoint | 02/04/2025 04:39:14

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has sounded the alarm over a "previously rarely detected" fungal infection that is "rapidly emerging" across England. This invading fungus, known as Candidozyma or Candida auris, poses a significant risk of outbreaks in hospital settings, health bosses have warned.

Authorities warn that this infection - which is potentially life-threatening" in rare cases - is gaining traction, with a concerning upsurge in cases "with a global distribution" linked to hospital outbreaks in Britain.

Despite its rarity in comparison to other yeast pathogens, Candida auris (C. auris) is part of the broader Candida species and can go unnoticed in carriers displaying no symptoms, NHS reports indicate.

The World Health Organization (WHO) flagged the fungus as a "critical priority" pathogen in 2022, highlighting its rapid spread in hospitals through medical equipment like catheters and tubes, and its propensity for severe infections in people with existing health conditions, reports .

Statistics released by the UKHSA show an rise in C. auris cases within England, totaling 637 from January 2013 to December 2024.

A sharp increase has been noted annually since 2020, with documented cases rising to 26 in 2021, 38 in 2022, 93 in 2023, and 178 by 2024.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has raised alerts amid growing concerns of C. auris, a fungus rarely seen in England but now increasingly detected in hospitals.

According to a UKHSA report: "The [UKHSA] is working with NHS England and other partners to respond to increasing detections of C. auris in hospitals. C. auris, previously rarely detected in England, has been emerging over the last decade, particularly following the lifting of travel restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic period."

The UKHSA has noted that since its first description in 2009, C. auris has spread globally, currently found across six continents and in more than 60 countries.

This hardy fungus can infect various body parts, including the bloodstream, wounds, and ears and it can be carried on the skin or in body fluids, according to NHS insights.

Often presenting symptoms akin to bacterial infections, such as fever or chills, C.auris infection symptoms depend on the infection site.

Outlining the risks associated with this fungal infection, the UKHSA highlighted that when it comes to severe invasive infections caused by C. auris, especially outside the UK, they are associated with "high mortality".

Moreover, this pathogen is proving to be increasingly resistant to antifungal medications.

In their statement, the UKHSA said: "Resistance has developed to many available classes of antifungal treatments, including the first-line agent fluconazole. C. auris can also acquire resistance to other antifungal agents during therapy."

The UKHSA has reported five prolonged C.

auris outbreaks in UK hospitals between 2015 and August 2024, with each outbreak recording more than 50 cases.

These outbreaks occurred in adult surgical critical care and surgical ward settings, including neurosurgical, cardiothoracic, and vascular units.

NHS King's College Hospital has implemented several measures to limit the spread of the fungus in hospital settings. These include handwashing before and after contact with every patient, screening to identify patients who are carriers, using single rooms for patients who are infected with or carrying C.auris, ensuring health professionals wear gowns, gloves and aprons when caring for patients who have infections or are carriers of C.auris, and cleaning surfaces and equipment that may be contaminated with C. auris.