UK Chandler Hospital treating five patients with infectious fungus

LEXINGTON, Ky. — University of Kentucky (UK) Chandler Hospital said it is treating five patients who have fungus Candida auris. Those patients have been isolated to a single hospital floor, UK HealthCare said. 

Candida auris is a fungus that can be resistant to multiple antimicrobials. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Candida auris “is a type of yeast that can cause severe illness and spreads easily among patients in healthcare facilities. It is often resistant to antifungal treatments, which means that the medications that are designed to kill the fungus and stop infections do not work.”

People who have the fungus can carry it on their skin and not have symptoms. UK HealthCare said usually people who contract the fungus are already admitted to a health care facility. Patients typically have another serious illness or condition. Risk factors include mechanical ventilation, tracheostomy, invasive medical devices and frequent health care encounters.

All five patients have the fungus on their skin. It was not causing an active infection in any of the patients as of Tuesday afternoon. UK HealthCare said it has no active infections of Candida auris.

UK HealthCare said its team identified the cases quickly and was able to isolate the patients. Disinfection precautions have been implemented to prevent the spread of the fungus.