A drug-resistant fungus is spreading rapidly in hospitals across Europe, prompting health authorities to call for additional measures to combat it.

The fungus, Candidozyma auris or C. auris, spreads easily in healthcare settings. Infections can be severe, particularly in patients who are already ill, according to a new report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), cited by Euronews.

According to ECDC data, more than 4,000 cases were reported in the European Union and nearby countries between 2013 and 2023, with the number of cases rising significantly over time.

The highest number of infections has been recorded in Spain, Greece, Italy, Romania, and Germany, while Cyprus, France, and Germany have reported recent outbreaks. In 2023, the fungus, previously known as Candida auris, was detected in 18 countries.

In some parts of Europe, C. auris is now “so widespread that outbreaks can no longer be distinguished — it is almost endemic in hospitals,” said Diamantis Plachouras, head of the ECDC group on antimicrobial resistance and healthcare-associated infections.

However, the true number of cases is likely underestimated. Of the 36 European countries covered in the new report, only 17 have national surveillance programs for C. auris, and just 15 have specific prevention and infection control guidelines.

The fungus’s ability to survive on surfaces and medical equipment, as well as to spread quickly between patients, makes controlling it especially difficult, ECDC experts note. Standard hospital disinfectants are not always effective against it, meaning routine cleaning is insufficient to prevent its spread.

While infected patients may develop fever and chills, C. auris has no single set of symptoms; they vary depending on where the infection occurs — in the bloodstream, wounds, or ears.

According to Plachouras, laboratory testing is essential to detect outbreaks.

  1. auris was first reported in Japan in 2009. Once the fungus is detected in a country, it typically takes only a few years before it becomes widespread, he added.

Plachouras noted that outbreaks often begin when a patient hospitalized abroad in a country where C. auris is present brings the fungus into another country.

The ECDC has urged countries and healthcare systems to step up efforts in early detection and infection control to stop the fungus from spreading.

“This is very concerning and undoubtedly poses a threat to patient safety in hospitals across Europe,” Plachouras said.