(WXYZ) — Doctors are concerned about a highly infectious fungus, which is spreading at health care facilities in Michigan and across the country.
It's called Candida Auris, and the CDC has labeled the fungus as an "urgent public health threat."
Experts say its detection back in 1990, the fungus has evolved and become drug resistant.
Data shared by DMC shows that over 200 patients are infected in Michigan, of which nearly half are in southeast Michigan.
As a medical assistant at a physician's office in Farmington Hills, 46-year-old Janean Collins is concerned about the fungal outbreak.
"I have three girls, and I just try to make sure they can stay as healthy as possible. I also have an autoimmune disease, so because of that we have to be careful with certain things," said Collins, medical assistant, Internal Medicine Physicians - Farmington Hills.
A study shows the fungus, Candida Auris or C. Auris, is spreading at an alarming rate throughout health care facilities. And since Collins sees up to 25 patients a day, she is following COVID safety protocols at home.
"I'm making sure they are washing their hands, they are supposed to be taking off their shoes at the door. I try to clean as much as I can with bleach," said Collins.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Teena Chopra, Corporate Director for Hospital Epidemiology, Detroit Medical Center, says C. Auris is highly transmissible and can spread if a person comes in contact with a contaminated surface or individual.
"It can cause pneumonia, wound infection, organ failure, or sepsis, which presents in the form or a fever, and hypotension, which is low blood pressure," said Dr. Chopra.
People at risk include patients with comorbidities, the elderly, especially in nursing homes, and immunocompromised and long-term care patients.
If infected, Dr. Chopra says people will see symptoms almost immediately.
"They will have symptoms before we can detect it in their blood," said Dr. Chopra.
Dr. Chopra says since there are not many treatment options for the C. Auris fungus infection, prevention is better than a cure, meaning proper hand washing or sanitizing will go a long way.
"Really clean the surfaces with bleach to get rid of it, also if they're visiting the hospital to see their relative who is in isolation or has C. Auris, then they should wear full protection, gowns, gloves etc," said Dr. Chopra.
Dr. Chopra says C. Auris is not a virus, like the coronavirus. Hence the fungus is not airborne, making face masks optional.
