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By Marni Rose McFall and Khaleda Rahman
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A drug-resistant fungus that health officials have labeled an "urgent antimicrobial resistance (AR) threat" has been detected in nearly two dozen states this year, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The latest CDC figures show that Candida auris screenings had been reported across multiple states as of the week ending July 25, 2026. Twenty-three states have reported at least one screening case in 2026, with the fungus having spread across every major U.S. region.
Texas has reported 715 cases, the highest number, followed by Michigan with 518 cases and 379 cases in Illinois.
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What Is Candida Auris?
Candida auris is a kind of yeast, which is a type of fungus. In some cases, it can cause serious illness, and some strains are resistant to multiple drugs, in turn, making them hard to treat. The most common spread of the fungus occurs in hospitals or long-term care facilities. People with healthy immune systems don’t tend to get sick from it, but they can transmit it to others.
It was first reported in the U.S. in 2016 and, over the past several years, has spread rapidly.
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Where Is Candida Auris Spreading?
The states reporting Candida auris screening cases in 2026 are: Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin.
Arkansas and Montana have both reported screenings but had no cumulative cases recorded in the latest data.
Texas has recorded the largest number of screenings this year, with 715 reported through late July. Michigan follows with 518, while Illinois has reported 379 and Ohio 218. Other states with triple-digit totals include: Nevada (166), New Jersey (166), Arizona (151), Maryland (184) and Virginia (119).
The CDC noted in its report that weekly surveillance figures are provisional and may be revised as state and local health departments update reports.
A CDC review examining cases of Candida auris between 2022 and 2024 found that almost nine out of 10 clinical infections occurred in people aged 45 years and older. Most patients were receiving care in acute health care settings, where the fungus is most likely to spread.
Health officials emphasize that in order to prevent the spread of the fungus, rapid detection, screening programs, and infection-control measures in hospitals and long-term care facilities are important.
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What Are the Symptoms of Candida Auris?
The symptoms of a Candida auris infection are dependent on where the fungus infects your body, according to the Cleveland Clinic, but can include:
- Chills
- Extreme tiredness
- Fever
- Low blood pressure
- Low body temperature
- High heart rate
- Pain, pressure or a full feeling inside of the ear
Because people who get a Candida auris infection are often already seriously ill, symptoms may not be noticeable, and many people carrying it don’t have symptoms, but can still pass it to somebody else.
Candida auris spreads from person to person and from contaminated surfaces.
How Candida Auris Is Transmitted, How To Prevent It
Candida auris can spread easily among sick patients in healthcare facilities, according to the CDC.
It often spreads when infected patients pass it onto surfaces and objects in healthcare settings like bedrails, doorknobs, and blood pressure cuffs, the agency says. It can survive on those surfaces and objects for long periods of time, and spread to other patients who then become sick.
Candida auris also usually remains on a patient’s skin or body for lengthy periods of time, regardless of whether they develop symptoms, and they can spread it the whole time.
Healthcare providers take steps to prevent the spread of Candida auris while infected or “colonized” patients are in healthcare facilities. A “colonized” patient is one who has Candida auris on their skin or part of their body but does not have symptoms.
The CDC advises providers to take measures to prevent the spread, including: frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand sanitizer, placing patients with Candida auris in separate rooms, cleaning a patient’s room with special disinfectants often, wearing gloves and gowns to deliver care and ensuring visitors clean hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or soap and water.
After an infected or colonized patient is discharged, the patient and close contacts are advised to frequently clean their hands. Family members or anyone providing care such as changing wound dressing or helping a patient bathe should consider wearing gloves while doing so, the CDC says.
The CDC also advises that patients and families should inform healthcare providers about previous positive test results before going to a doctor’s office or any healthcare facility.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Matthew Cannon and Sam Wilson.
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