CDC: Nevada sees growing threat of Candida auris fungal infections

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Strains of fungus resistant to medications have caused increased cases of infections in Nevada over the last 24 months, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

According to a report released by the CDC on Monday, Candida auris is an emerging fungus considered a threat as it is resistant to treatment and spread at an alarming rate in 2020-2021.

“The rapid rise and geographic spread of cases is concerning and emphasizes the need for continued surveillance, expanded lab capacity, quicker diagnostic tests, and adherence to proven infection prevention and control,” said CDC epidemiologist Dr. Meghan Lyman, lead author of the paper.

In Nevada, one of six states with the highest amounts of cases (including California, Texas, Illinois, New York, and Florida) here are the cases from 2021-2023, by facility:

Facility	Facility type	Clinical Cases	Colonization	Colonization to Clinical	Total cases
Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center	Acute	163	20	9	192
Summerlin Hospital Medical Center	Acute	12	15	2	29
Valley Hospital Medical Center	Acute	50	43	19	112
University Medical Center	Acute	19	0	2	21
Mountain View	Acute	14	1	2	17
Henderson Hospital	Acute	5	11	2	18
Spring Valley Hospital	Acute	23	32	3	58
Desert Springs	Acute	12	17	4	33
Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center	Acute	7	12	1	20
St. Rose Dominican Hospital - San Martin	Acute	1	0	0	1
St. Rose Dominican Hospital - Rose De Lima	Acute	1	0	0	1
St. Rose Dominican Hospital - Siena Campus	Acute	1	0	1	6
Southern Hills Hospital	Acute	3	0	0	3
Las Vegas AMG Specialty Hospital	Acute	0	3	0	3
Kindred Hospital Las Vegas-Flamingo Campus	SNF	0	32	0	32
Royal Springs Healthcare and Rehab	vSNF	2	13	0	15
Silver Ridge Health Care Center	vSNF	0	43	0	43
College Park Health and Rehab	vSNF	0	9	0	9
Sandstone Spring Valley	vSNF	0	3	0	3
St. Joseph Transitional Rehab	vSNF	0	14	0	14
Silver Hills Health Care Center	SNF	1	30	1	32
Canyon Vista Post Acute	SNF	1	0	0	1
Spanish Hills Wellness Suites	SNF	2	6	0	8
Sage Creek Post Acute	SNF	1	0	0	1
Harmon Hospital	SNF	4	0	0	4
The Heights of Summerlin	SNF	0	1	0	1
Kindred Hospital Flamingo- Las Vegas	LTACH	11	103	22	136
Horizon Specialty Hospital Las Vegas	LTACH	12	83	9	104
Kindred Sahara	LTACH	15	17	4	36
Horizon Specialty Hospital Las Vegas	LTACH	2	97	4	103
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Las Vegas	LTACH	0	8	0	8
PAM Specialty Complex Care - Las Vegas	LTACH	19	1	1	21
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Desert Canyon	LTACH	0	1	0	1
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Henderson	LTACH	2	15	0	17
Unknown	LTACH	15	4	4	26
Totals				90	1,129

*SNF -- Skilled Nursing Facility

vSNF -- Skilled Nursing Facility with Subacute Care

LTACH -- Long-term Acute Care Hospital

The infection is usually found in those already sick with other conditions. Symptoms include fever and chills that do not improve after antibiotic treatment for a suspected bacterial infection, according to the CDC.

Only a lab test can diagnose a Candida auris infection.

Since first reported in 2016, the fungus has spread in the United States with a total of 3,270 clinical cases (in which infection is present) and 7,413 screening cases (in which the fungus is detected but not causing infection) reported through December 31, 2021. Clinical cases have increased each year since 2016, with the most rapid rise occurring during 2020-2021.

CDC has continued to see an increase in case counts for 2022. During 2019-2021, 17 states identified their first C. auris case ever. Nationwide, clinical cases rose from 476 in 2019 to 1,471 in 2021. Screening cases tripled from 2020 to 2021, for a total of 4,041.