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Candida auris Spreads, Experts Urge Mandatory Reporting

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Abstract

At a press conference, Diamantis Plachouras, MD, PhD, who leads the ECDC's Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare-Associated Infections section, called the trend worrying" and the numbers "alarming." Germany has reported 120 cases over the past decade, placing it among the higher-burden countries in Europe, after Spain, Greece, Italy, and Romania. Oliver Kurzai, MD, director of the Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany, and head of the National Reference Center for Invasive Fungal Infections, stressed that "no patient needs to worry, Candida auris is currently a rarity in Germany," adding that the situation is epidemiologically concerning but the risk for individual patients remains low. Birgit Willinger, MD, head of Clinical Microbiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria, noted that the findings should raise awareness rather than cause panic, while Tim Eckmanns, MD, head of the Department for Healthcare-Associated Infections, Robert Koch Institute in Germany, urged action: "Take care of this fungus." Rising Concern Cases of C auris have been known since 2009, with the first documented case identified in Japan as an ear infection. Work with the Robert Koch Institute suggests we capture about 80% of all cases, so the number of unreported cases is low — unlike in Spain, Italy, or Greece." Eckmanns stated that the situation remains manageable for now but warned that as prevalence rises, antifungal resistance will increase, and case numbers are likely to grow."
Key Data

  • Publication Date
    23 September 2025
  • Primary Author
    Ute Eppinger
  • Source
    American Heart Journal
  • Language
    English
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