"The so-called super fungus is commonly known as Candida auris and its scientific name is Candida auris. It is not a species that has evolved suddenly, it was discovered in Japan as early as 10 years ago, in 2009, and in the following decade, it has been detected all over the world, including Japan.
Candida auricis strains in a Petri dish. Figure U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It is an invasive fungus that can invade the bloodstream and infect vital organs such as the heart and brain, leading to serious infections, especially in hospitals or elderly care facilities.
It is often resistant to a variety of antifungals, and commonly used antifungals sometimes do not work against it. It is difficult to identify, and there is a possibility that it could be falsely reported as another Candida species.
It is more likely to spread in places such as hospitals and elderly care facilities, causing explosive epidemics in hospitals, mainly through contact with sick people and contact with contaminated surfaces, so frequent hand washing and thorough cleaning of items in the hospital are important means to stop its transmission.
As for where this super fungus came from?How did it evolve?Why is it increasing in recent years?Why it is resistant to mainstream antifungals has not yet been studied by the medical community, and scientists are still working hard to study it.
At the moment, we don't have to panic when it comes to Candida auris :
Candida auris does not cause much effect in healthy people. Infections occur mainly in hospitals and in immunocompromised populations, such as intensive care units. Large-scale epidemics in the United States have also occurred in hospitals. For healthy people with normal immunity, the risk of developing this infection is significantly reduced.
Not all Candida auris is super resistant. Even for multidrug-resistant fungi, there is hope that the effect of fungal elimination can be achieved by increasing the dose of antifungal drugs or combining them. (Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua University, Chief Physician of the Department of General Internal Medicine, Ma Xuzhu).
How, is it reassuring, super fungi are not enough to pose a threat to healthy people at all. Since the superfungus Candida auris is mainly transmitted through contact in hospitals, and most of the infected people are hospitalized patients, it is possible for ordinary people to maintain cleanliness and hygiene such as washing their hands with soap and water in time after going to the hospital, and there is no need to take special protective measures, let alone panic.
In fact, when it comes to superfungi, many people will think of superbugs, because superbugs are reported and talked about more and have a wider impact. Superbugs, in layman's terms, are bacteria that are highly resistant to antibiotics. The problem of antibiotic misuse, which we often talk about, is related to the accelerated emergence of bacterial resistance.
Partial search results for superbugs.
The World Health Organization pointed out that antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security and development, it affects everyone, and more and more bacterial infections, such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, etc., become more difficult, because the effectiveness of antibiotics for infections is reduced. In order to prevent and control the spread of antibiotic resistance, what we can do is not to take antibiotics by ourselves when we are sick, unless it is prescribed by a professional doctor, such as cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones (such as norfloxacin, ofloxacin, etc.), and do not take the initiative to ask doctors for antibiotics, and do not share their remaining antibiotic drugs with others.
In fact, in addition to bacteria and fungi, pathogenic microorganisms include viruses and parasites. We use a variety of drugs when we are suffering from diseases caused by these microorganisms, which can be collectively referred to as antimicrobial drugs, such as bacteria and fungi that change when exposed to drugs to become resistant to the original drugs, and microorganisms such as viruses and parasites will also have drug resistance, which are collectively referred to as antimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial resistance has a broader meaning, as antimicrobials include antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, antimalarials and anthelmintics. Microorganisms that develop antimicrobial resistance are labeled as "super", just like the superbugs and super fungi mentioned earlier.
The problem of antimicrobial resistance is a global problem that affects each and every one of us. As a simple example, imagine what if the flu hits and we don't have antivirals to doIn fact, according to the World Health Organization, almost all influenza A viruses circulating in humans are resistant to M2 inhibitor antivirals. Fortunately, there are other antiviral drugs (neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir) available, and if all existing drugs fail in the future, scientists may only be able to come to the rescue if all existing drugs fail.
To prevent and control antimicrobial resistance, there are simple ways we can do our part:
When treating the disease, you must follow the doctor's instructions and do not use drugs at will;Do not abuse antimicrobials for pets, poultry, etc.