By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Arizona is seeing a significant rise in cases of a drug-resistant fungus that can cause serious or life-threatening illness, according to new CDC data.
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The fungus, known as Candida auris, is a type of yeast that spreads quickly among patients in healthcare settings such as nursing homes, hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
The state recorded 171 cases year-to-date in 2026, up from 133 cases during the same period in 2025, a nearly 30% increase.
What is Candida auris?
C. auris is a drug-resistant yeast that poses a particular threat in healthcare environments. It can spread rapidly between patients and is difficult to eliminate from surfaces and medical equipment.
The CDC is actively tracking the infection nationwide, with more than half of U.S. states now reporting cases. Arizona is among them — and its numbers are climbing.
Symptoms and treatment
Not everyone infected with C. auris will show symptoms. Those who do may experience fever and chills. In more serious cases, the infection can enter the bloodstream, making it potentially life-threatening.
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Treatment is complicated by the fungus’s resistance to antifungal medications, leaving healthcare providers with limited options.
What can be done to prevent it?
The CDC advised that screening patients for C. auris is important in stopping an outbreak, since some people may have the fungus without showing symptoms.
Other actions that can help stop the spread include:
- Wash hands frequently with alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- Clean infected patients’ rooms often with special disinfectants
- Keep infected patients in separate rooms from those at risk
- Wear gloves and gowns when delivering care
Where is it spreading?
As of July 25, 2026, there have been 3,437 reported cases of C. auris.
Cases have been reported in the following 26 states:
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- West Virginia
Cases have climbed sharply in the past decade, according to the CDC’s tracking data. The agency reported there were 6,304 clinical cases in 2024 compared to only 48 cases in 2016.
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