Candida auris (C. auris) is a drug-resistant fungus that causes fever and chills that don’t improve with antibiotics — often the only early clue that something is wrong. Unlike a typical yeast infection, C. auris rarely announces itself with obvious symptoms. It mostly strikes hospitalized or immunocompromised patients, spreads easily on skin and surfaces, and can resist multiple antifungal drugs at once.
Here’s why this matters:
- It’s classified as an urgent threat. The CDC lists C. auris as one of its highest-concern drug-resistant organisms, and the World Health Organization ranks it a “critical priority” fungal pathogen.
- It’s spreading. Cases have been reported in 27 U.S. states so far this year.
- Early recognition saves lives. Because symptoms mimic ordinary bacterial infections, knowing the warning signs — and the risk factors — helps patients and caregivers ask for the right test sooner.
Keep reading for a full breakdown of symptoms by infection site, who’s most at risk, current 2026 case data, and exactly when to seek medical care.
Key Takeaways
- C. auris symptoms are nonspecific — there’s no single “classic” sign, but persistent fever and chills that don’t respond to antibiotics are the most common red flag.
- Healthy people rarely get sick from it. Risk concentrates in hospitals, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities.
- A person can carry C. auris on their skin with zero symptoms (called colonization) and still spread it to others.
- Only a lab test can confirm C. auris — it’s frequently misidentified as a different, less dangerous Candida species.
- More than 1 in 3 people with an invasive C. auris infection die, according to CDC data.
What Is Candida Auris?
Candida auris is a type of yeast — a single-celled fungus — first identified in Japan in 2009, with cases later traced back to a 1996 sample from South Korea. It’s part of the same broad Candida family behind common yeast infections, but it behaves very differently:
- It spreads person-to-person and via contaminated surfaces (bedrails, doorknobs, medical equipment), not just through overgrowth on the body.
- It can survive on hard surfaces for weeks, resisting many standard hospital disinfectants.
- It’s frequently multidrug-resistant, meaning the usual antifungal medications may not work.
The World Health Organization placed C. auris in the “critical priority” group of its 2022 Fungal Priority Pathogens List — the same top tier as Aspergillus fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans — based on its mortality rate, drug resistance, and rapid global spread (WHO fungal priority pathogens list).
Early Warning Signs and Symptoms of Candida Auris
General, Nonspecific Symptoms
This is the single most important thing to understand about C. auris: there is no unique symptom that says “this is C. auris” and nothing else. According to the CDC, the most common signs mirror a bacterial infection:
- Fever
- Chills that don’t improve after antibiotic treatment
- Low blood pressure
- Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
- Low body temperature (hypothermia) in more severe cases
- Extreme tiredness or lethargy
Because these symptoms overlap almost entirely with sepsis or a routine bacterial infection, the biggest early warning sign is actually a lack of improvement — a fever or infection that doesn’t respond to standard antibiotics is the clue that prompts doctors to test for a fungal cause.
Symptoms by Infection Site
C. auris can settle in different parts of the body, and the symptoms shift depending on where the infection takes hold.
| Infection Site | What It Can Look Like |
|---|---|
| Bloodstream (candidemia) | Persistent fever, chills, low blood pressure, signs of sepsis |
| Wounds | Redness, swelling, drainage, or delayed healing at a wound site |
| Ears | Pain, pressure, drainage, or a feeling of fullness in the ear |
| Urinary tract | Symptoms consistent with a hard-to-clear urinary infection |
| Respiratory tract | Symptoms consistent with a lingering lung infection |
Silent Spread: Colonization Without Symptoms
One of the most important — and most overlooked — facts about C. auris is that a person can carry it on their skin or in their body without ever feeling sick. Healthcare providers call this colonization. Colonized individuals show no symptoms at all, but they can still transfer the fungus to surfaces, equipment, and other people. This is a major reason C. auris spreads so efficiently inside hospitals and nursing homes, and why healthcare facilities screen high-risk patients even when they feel fine.
Who Is Most at Risk for Candida Auris Infection?
Healthy people almost never get sick from C. auris. Risk is concentrated among patients who are already seriously ill or receiving intensive medical care. Common risk factors include:
- Extended stays in hospitals, nursing homes, or long-term acute care facilities
- Invasive medical devices — breathing tubes, feeding tubes, central venous catheters, or urinary catheters
- A weakened immune system (from cancer treatment, organ transplant, or chronic illness)
- Prolonged or repeated use of antibiotics or antifungal medications
- Diabetes or other underlying chronic conditions
Healthcare workers and family visitors who don’t have these risk factors are not considered at meaningful risk and generally don’t need to be screened or tested.
How Candida Auris Spreads
C. auris spreads through direct contact — skin-to-skin, or skin-to-surface. Because it can persist on bedrails, IV poles, blood pressure cuffs, and other equipment for weeks at a time, one colonized or infected patient can seed an entire unit if infection-control steps slip. That’s why hospitals rely heavily on hand hygiene, contact precautions, and dedicated equipment for patients who test positive.
Candida Auris Cases in 2026: What the Data Shows
C. auris case counts have climbed steadily since the first U.S. detection in 2016, though the pace of growth has slowed since 2022. As of the week ending July 25, 2026, CDC surveillance data shows:
- 3,437 clinical cases identified across 27 states
- California leads with 873 cases, followed by Texas (433) and Tennessee (283)
- In 2024, the U.S. recorded 6,304 total clinical cases for the full year
Lab data from 2022–2023 also shows the resistance problem is real: over 95% of tested samples resisted fluconazole (a first-line antifungal), while resistance to the newer echinocandin class — the preferred treatment — stayed below 1%, meaning most infections are still treatable when caught early.
What Health Experts Are Saying
Public health officials have been tracking this trend closely. Dr. Meghan Lyman, chief medical officer of the CDC’s Mycotic Diseases Branch, has pointed to the geographic spread of new cases as a particular concern, telling NBC News that the recent increases <a href=”https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-fungal-infection-candida-auris-alarming-spread-rcna75477″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>”are really concerning to us”</a>.
“We’ve seen increases not just in areas of ongoing transmission, but also in new areas.” — Paraphrased from Dr. Meghan Lyman, CDC Mycotic Diseases Branch, via NBC News
The takeaway: this isn’t just a problem contained to a handful of hotspot hospitals — it’s actively establishing footholds in new regions.
How Is Candida Auris Diagnosed and Treated?
Because symptoms look like an ordinary bacterial infection, C. auris can only be confirmed through specialized laboratory testing — standard tests can misidentify it as a different, less dangerous Candida species. If you or a loved one has a fever that isn’t responding to antibiotics, especially during a hospital stay, ask whether fungal testing has been considered.
Treatment: Most infections respond to a class of antifungal drugs called echinocandins, which remain the first-line treatment. In rarer, multidrug-resistant cases, doctors may combine antifungal medications or use newer, specialized drugs.
Outlook: Because most patients who develop C. auris were already critically ill, outcomes vary widely. Studies estimate the mortality rate for invasive infections at roughly 30% to 60%, though it’s often difficult to separate the fungus’s role from the patient’s underlying illness.
When to See a Doctor: Warning Signs That Need Immediate Attention
Contact a healthcare provider right away if you or a hospitalized loved one experience:
- A fever that doesn’t improve after a course of antibiotics
- Signs of a bloodstream infection — chills, confusion, rapid heartbeat, or low blood pressure
- A wound that isn’t healing or looks increasingly infected during a hospital stay
- Ear pain or drainage that develops during or shortly after a healthcare facility stay
- Any infection symptom that returns or worsens after seeming to respond to treatment
If you’ve recently been discharged from a hospital or care facility and develop any of the above, tell your new provider about your recent stay — this history helps them decide whether to test for C. auris specifically.
How to Lower Your Risk
For patients, families, and caregivers navigating a hospital or long-term care stay:
- Ask about hand hygiene. Don’t hesitate to ask staff to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before touching you or a loved one.
- Ask if screening is appropriate. High-risk patients (those with invasive devices or long facility stays) are often screened for colonization.
- Report your care history. If you’ve previously tested positive for C. auris, tell every new provider, even after you feel fully recovered.
- Keep wound care sites clean and monitored, and flag any changes to a nurse or doctor immediately.
- Follow discharge instructions carefully, especially around catheter or device care at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Candida auris contagious? Yes. It spreads through direct contact with an infected or colonized person, or through contact with contaminated surfaces and equipment.
Can healthy people get Candida auris? It’s uncommon. Most infections occur in people who are already seriously ill, hospitalized, or living with invasive medical devices. Healthy individuals can occasionally carry it without symptoms, but rarely become sick.
How is Candida auris different from a regular yeast infection? Regular yeast infections are usually caused by Candida albicans and respond well to standard antifungal treatment. C. auris is frequently drug-resistant, spreads more easily between people and surfaces, and can cause severe bloodstream infections.
What is the survival rate for Candida auris? Studies estimate that 30% to 60% of patients with invasive (bloodstream, heart, or brain) C. auris infections die, though many of these patients had serious pre-existing conditions.
Can Candida auris be cured? Most infections can be treated successfully with echinocandin antifungal drugs. Multidrug-resistant cases are harder to treat and may require a combination of medications.
Also Read: Low-Fat Dairy After 60: Benefits, Best Picks & Risks
Sources
- CDC – About C. auris
- CDC – Tracking C. auris
- WHO – Fungal Priority Pathogens List, 2022
- ABC News – Cases of potentially deadly fungus detected in 27 states, CDC data shows
- NBC News – CDC warns of alarming spread of drug-resistant fungal infection
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Symptoms of C. auris overlap with many other conditions and can only be confirmed through laboratory testing. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider if you or someone in your care has symptoms of infection, especially during or after a hospital or long-term care stay.
