LSU health doctor explains how deadly fungus can infect and who is most at risk

New Orleans (WVUE) – Viruses, bacteria, and fungi have always been around, but one particular fungus is of interest to the medical community. Candida auris has a high mortality rate, infecting dozens of people in Louisiana.

Dr. Fred Lopez is an infectious disease specialist at LSU Health New Orleans.

“It’s usually transmitted in one or two ways: from person to person, or someone touching a contaminated surface and then touching themselves, or a surface being contaminated and spreading to the patient’s or individual’s body. and how it is transmitted: person-to-person,” Lopez said.

The Louisiana Department of Health says there are 50 known cases of fungal infections in the state. Nationwide, the fungus is spreading at an alarming rate and has been called an “urgent public health threat” for high-risk patients, with a fatality rate of 30% to 60% in the United States, according to LDH. is.

Lopez said symptoms can vary. “Symptoms depend on where the infection is. If it’s a wound infection, you may have pus around the wound, but once it gets into the bloodstream, you may feel lightheaded or heart racing, for example. There can be fever, such as throbbing,” he said.

Still, doctors say no one should panic.

“People with well-functioning immune systems shouldn’t worry too much about this fungus, but it’s out there and all over the world,” Lopez said.

According to LDH, most cases of this fungal infection are due to medical infections.

“People who are prone to invasive infections with Candida auris (Candida auris), which we are hearing more and more about, tend to be people with many other medical problems. You may have a tube in your vein, a feeding tube, a catheter in your body, or for some other reason your immune system is suppressed,” Lopez said. increase.

Ochsner Health, Louisiana’s largest healthcare system, issued a statement to FOX 8.

“At Ochsner Health, our teams of infection prevention and control, environmental services, and providers are implementing all CDC-recommended infection prevention and control measures to prevent fungal infections from occurring. These mitigation efforts are already routinely practiced.

• hand hygiene compliance (hand washing or alcohol-based hand sanitizer);

• Notes on contact insulation

• Daily cleaning and disinfection with specific products

In addition, we regularly educate providers to rapidly identify C. auris in hospitalized patients. If a case is identified, we will take special precautions to stop its spread. All Louisiana health facilities are working with the Louisiana Department of Health to track and monitor C. auris.

To us, nothing is more important than the safety of our team and patients. We continue to work closely with microbiology staff, laboratories, and local and state health officials to prevent the spread of C. auris and other infectious diseases. ”

– Katherine Baumgarten, MD, Medical Director, Infection Control and Prevention, Ochsner Health

In some cases, fungi are difficult to detect in patients.

“It’s hard to detect. Many labs have the ability to pinpoint this organism, but it’s misidentified in the lab,” Lopez said.

However, he says, locally, several laboratories have identified the fungus.

“I know many labs have the ability to identify this organism, partly because we’re looking for it more and more, probably more than Candida auris. You have identified many cases.

Some people have the fungus in their bodies but are asymptomatic, and this is known as “colonization.” LDH says screening for it is important.

“They are not infected, they are not in the bloodstream, they are not causing an active infection. This is a problem because there is a

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