Super fungus spreads in São Paulo and causes outbreak in public hospital.

247 - The State Public Servant Hospital, located in the southern zone of São Paulo, is facing an outbreak of Candida auris, a microorganism known as a "super fungus" due to its resistance to medication and high mortality rate. Since January of this year, the unit has registered 14 cases of colonization—when the fungus is present in the patient without causing infection—and one case of infection. This information comes from the portal [website name missing]. Metropolis.

The presence of Candida auris in Brazilian hospitals is not new. The first case was detected in 2020, in a hospital in Salvador (BA), during the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time, overcrowding in healthcare units and reduced infection control facilitated the spread of the fungus. Since then, hospital outbreaks have been reported, especially in Intensive Care Units (ICUs), where immunocompromised patients are more vulnerable.

Risk for hospitalized patients

According to the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), Candida auris represents a significant threat to public health due to several factors:

• It forms biofilms that are highly resistant to antifungals;
• It exhibits resistance to the main drugs used against fungal infections, with studies indicating that up to 90% of isolates are resistant to fluconazole, amphotericin B, or echinocandins;
• It can cause fatal invasive infections, especially in immunocompromised patients;
• It survives for long periods on hospital surfaces, such as bed linens, handrails, medical equipment, and furniture;
• Difficult to identify in the laboratory, which favors its spread and persistence in hospital settings.

Infectious disease specialist Diego Rodrigues Falci, director of the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases (SBI), warns of the severity of the infection caused by the fungus. "[Those infected and colonized] are people who are using antibiotics, who have undergone chemotherapy, transplants, and seriously ill people in intensive care units because, evidently, these other factors weaken the immune system or make that person more susceptible to this type of infection," the specialist explained to [the publication/publication name]. Metropolis.

Symptoms of the infection include persistent fever, malaise, and worsening laboratory test results. Because the fungus can be resistant to conventional antifungals, treatment is challenging and often requires alternative therapeutic options.

Control and investigation measures

At the State Public Servant Hospital, a 73-year-old patient was infected with Candida auris and died. However, the unit stated that the death was caused by surgical complications and not directly by the fungal infection.

The Institute of Medical Assistance for State Public Servants of São Paulo (Iamspe) reported that it notified Anvisa (Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency) about the outbreak and implemented rigorous safety protocols to contain the spread of the pathogen. The measures include isolating patients in individual rooms, reinforcing hygiene, and training for the hospital staff. "In accordance with the guidelines of the surveillance agencies, the unit will continue to conduct monthly collections for six months to analyze the situation," the institution stated in a note.

The spread of Candida auris in Brazilian hospitals reinforces the need for improvements in policies for the prevention and control of hospital infections. With its increasing resistance to conventional treatments, experts warn of the importance of early detection and the adoption of effective measures to prevent new outbreaks and protect vulnerable patients.