Drug-Resistant Fungal Infections Reported in 3,500 Patients Across 28 States
Twenty-eight states reported over 3,500 clinical cases of candida auris, a drug-resistant fungus, as of August 1, 2026, according to CDC surveillance data. The infection primarily affects severely ill patients in healthcare and long-term care facilities, particularly those with breathing tubes, feeding tubes, or catheters. California reported the highest number of clinical cases at 887, followed by Texas (437) and Tennessee (293). The fungus is resistant to multiple antifungal drugs and spreads easily in healthcare settings, with an additional 3,325 screening detections of patients who are colonized but not yet ill.
Medicaid health plans and long-term care facilities face infection control and clinical management challenges from a drug-resistant pathogen affecting the complex, high-acuity populations they serve.
Long-Term Care · Managed Care
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