Emerging Super Fungus: Beginning Of An Epidemic?

Candida auris can potentially infect anyone, however those with compromised immune systems such as the elderly, infants, smokers, and diabetics are most likely to succumb. C.auris was discovered about a decade ago, first being seen in 2013, since then it has shown up on every continent except Antarctica; there have been 617 reported cases within the USA alone as of 2/2019, with most cases being detected in New York City(309 cases), New Jersey(104 cases), and Chicago(144 cases) areas.

Tom Chiller head of the CDC fungal branch has said, “It’s a creature from the black lagoon. It has bubbled up and is now everywhere.” Dr. Lynn Sosa Connecticut’s deputy state epidemiologist views it as being “pretty much unbeatable and difficult to identify.”

Once contracted Candida auris is very difficult to get rid of. The CDC reports more than 90% of infections are resistant to at least one major antifungal drug; 30% are resistant to 2+, and some medical facilities have had to replace floor and ceiling tiles to remove all traces of the fungus from rooms. Infections can be treated with antifungal medications, however the CDC is increasingly concerned of cases proving to be resistant to all three main classes of antifungal medications.

Symptoms may be difficult to detect as patients are often already sick, only lab testing can identify this fungal infection, which can cause several types of other infections including bloodstream, wound, and ear infections. Those who have recently had surgery, are taking antibiotics, live in nursing homes, have feeding tubes, have breathing tubes, or have central venous catheters appear to have highest risks. The CDC says 30-60% of people with C.auris infections have died, however many of them have had other serious illnesses that increased risk of death.

Some consider this to be a bombshell medical alert with serious implications to humanity, and suggest that the global use of “azole-class” fungicides have given rise to this fungal superbug that is now colonizing hospitals and nursing homes around the world. The azole resistant fungal strains can’t be killed by known medical chemicals used in hospitals, and even worse ventilation systems emit the fungal spores into the air to contaminate communities. Infections are rampant in New York, New Jersey, and Chicago, now infection has been seen in Florida, California, Texas, Virginia, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Although the CDC will not name the hospitals or nursing homes carrying infections it is suggested that millions of people have likely already been exposed. This can go way beyond the likes of Ebola a few years back, and up until a few days ago almost no one had even heard about this fungal strain with a reported 41-88% fatality rate in humans.

Can you imaging a dystopian science fiction future wherein hospital ventilation systems pump out a deadly superbug into the atmosphere where winds can carry it off to infect communities and farms? Can you imagine that the CDC knew about it, but kept it secret, refusing to inform the public of which facilities were infected, denying the public knowledge to use for their protection? Saying it was kept secret so they did not alarm the public or make the facilities be seen as the hubs of infection. Well, sadly, imagine no more as this is what is happening, and has been spreading over the last 4 years, silently with virtually ZERO media reports and very little information from the CDC. To some this would seem to be almost like a coordinated cover up to keep patients in the dark as infection spreads by a deadly pathogen, rather than keeping the public informed and safe, which is their actual job.

Originally found to be living in a woman’s ear in Japan, this fungus has spread from hospitals to nursing homes, it can be carried from patient to patient and by healthcare workers; it grows on virtually anything from  IV lines, ventilators, tiles, hospital gowns, walls, bed rails, phones, sinks, and clothing. Aggressive sterilization using aerosolized hydrogen peroxide has done nothing in attempts to kill off this fungus. Those with strong immune systems apparently can fight the effects of this fungus, even with no symptoms these people may become carriers.

Multiple cases are being tracked in healthcare related pathogen transmission in India, Kenya, Kuwait, Pakistan, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Venezuela. Outside of hospitals settings multiple cases are being tracked in Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Venezuela.

The CDC themselves are now warning hospitals are spreading this saying “in some of these countries, extensive transmission of C. auris has been documented in more than one hospital.” Yet still will not name the hospitals which will lead to more infection. Alarmingly the CDC also stated, “...Numbers it has so far published coming out of Illinois, New Jersey and New York are only just the beginning. Beyond the clinical case counts reported above, an additional 1056 patients have been found to be colonized with C. auris by targeted screening in seven states with clinical cases...” Not surprisingly those 7 states have yet to be named, that many people being colonized across 7 states unfortunately means we are beyond the Ebola scenario of a few years ago.

Would you be surprised to learn that this may be traced to soil, which is a complex ecosystem harboring an array of microbiology, survival competition keeps nasty ones in check. However, it is suggested that modern chemicals and pesticides routinely sprayed on crops kill some while leaving others untouched, and some develop resistance, which helped to give rise to the super strain of Candida auris which can now replicate and spread in ways it would not have been possible to. Global use of “azole-class” fungicides is basically killing good fungi inevitable allowing this dangerous fungal strain to succeed, caused by human intervention of chemical agricultural runoff which ends up in soils, and waters leading to oceans, which overtime can spread everywhere, it was only a matter of time before reaching the point where it is now.

This robust airborne fungi can be easily spread via being carried on hands, ferried on meat or produce, transported across borders by travelers and imports/exports, through ventilation systems, on hospital equipment, and clothing, virtually anything. Dr. Tom Chiller of the CDC warns of it “behaving in unexpected and concerning ways, causing severe disease in countries across the globe, including the United States.” and laid out some facts/warnings in 2017:

• “C auris can spread between patients in healthcare facilities and cause outbreaks. In this way, it appears to behave much like some multidrug-resistant bacteria.”
• “C auris can colonize a patient’s skin for months or longer.”
• “This hardy yeast can live on surfaces for a month or more, and preliminary testing suggests that quaternary ammonium compounds commonly used for healthcare disinfection may not be sufficiently effective against C auris.”
• “C auris is quickly becoming more common. In some international healthcare facilities, it has gone from an unknown pathogen to a cause of 40% of invasive Candida infections within a few years. We need to act now to prevent this from happening in the United States.”
• “C auris is often multidrug resistant. Some strains have been resistant to all three major antifungal classes, including echinocandins, the first-line treatment for Candida infections.”

History has shown that man is quite resourceful and might come up with the most ingenious answers to problems, surely an aware government would put together an elite group of infectious disease specialists to tackle this present, real, and current threat. Could ultraviolet lighting be the solution that western medical systems seem to be missing? UV light can be found for free in sunshine, and it kills nearly all fungi and viral strains. Places such as nursing homes and hospitals are characterized by artificial light and dark, damp hallways and rooms that are potential breeding grounds for the azole resistant fungal strain to colonize. Those drawn window shades help to make the ideal breeding grounds even more dangerous. However patent free sunlight can’t be charged royalties for, so perhaps this answers that question, it does make one wonder.

The question still remains as to why we have not heard of this deadly pathogen sooner, but alas when dollars are at risk, journalism quickly falls to the profit of powerful corporations. It would not be of any surprise if the mention of Candida auris becomes decried as anti-science and nothing more than a scare story or labeled as conspiracy fodder. It wouldn’t be the first time truths were withheld, false information was told, and an elaborate plan of smoke and mirrors took place despite the real evidence. People should be questioning why state of emergency was recently declared in NY over a handful of measles cases, yet this deadly fungal pathogen threatens to colonize the country is getting almost no mention.

“Hospitals across the nations will continue tow the line, serving less than ideal foods and administering toxic drugs to patients, reveling in the repeat business that comes from the ongoing sickness and suffering characterizing western civilization’s chemical approach to everything. Better living through chemistry has now collapsed into tragedy. The future we now face is the chemically-induced suicide of the human race. That’s the true story of how agricultural fungicides have transformed every hospital visit into a suicide mission. If the food doesn’t kill you first, the visit to the doctor surely will.” ~Mike Adams the Health Ranger.