Public health authorities reported 3,130 confirmed cases of Candida auris in the U.S. as of mid‑July 2026, with the fungus spreading mainly in healthcare settings. The pathogen primarily affects severely ill patients who use invasive devices and can be carried asymptomatically, enabling silent transmission. Many strains are resistant to frontline antifungals such as azoles, and some show resistance to amphotericin B, narrowing treatment options. Health agencies urge strict infection control, surveillance, and antifungal stewardship to limit further spread.
Drug-Resistant Candida auris Spreads to 23 States — 3,130 U.S. Cases As Of Mid‑July 2026
Magnified view of the fungus Candida aurisCredit: BSIP/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty
Candida auris, a often drug-resistant yeast, is spreading across the United States and posing a growing threat in healthcare settings. Public health authorities reported 3,130 confirmed U.S. cases as of mid‑July 2026, with infections concentrated in a number of states and rising year to year.
The fungus was first detected in a U.S. patient in 2013, and reported infections climbed through 2025. Although the 2025 total was 3,348 confirmed cases nationwide, the 2026 mid‑July figure of 3,130 indicates the organism remains widespread and active this year.
Why experts are alarmed: C. auris spreads readily in health care facilities where patients are already ill and often have invasive devices such as ventilators, feeding tubes, or urinary catheters. Many people who carry the organism show no symptoms, allowing silent transmission between patients and across wards.
When infection occurs, patients may develop fever, chills, profound lethargy, low blood pressure with a rapid heart rate, or a distinctive type of ear infection. Those at highest risk are the sickest hospital patients, especially people who rely on invasive medical equipment or who have a history of heavy antibiotic or antifungal use.
Stock image of an intensive care unitCredit: Getty
Nathan Wiederhold, PharmD, director of the Fungus Testing Laboratory and professor at UT Health San Antonio, warns that the resistance profile is troubling: many strains are resistant to azoles, and some are also resistant to amphotericin B, a drug often regarded as a last resort.
Geographically, cases are concentrated in several states. Texas leads with 706 reported infections, a total that already exceeds its full 2025 count (660). Michigan has reported 503 confirmed cases, and other states also report clusters tied to healthcare transmission.
Public health officials emphasize that limited treatment options and the ease of spread within medical facilities make containment difficult. Health agencies recommend strict infection‑control measures, active surveillance, environmental cleaning, and antifungal stewardship to reduce transmission and preserve remaining treatment options.
What patients and families should know: C. auris primarily affects people who are already very ill; for most healthy community members the risk remains low. If you or a family member is hospitalized and using invasive devices, ask clinicians about infection‑control precautions and whether C. auris surveillance or screening is in place at the facility.
Public health and clinical teams continue to monitor the situation closely as researchers seek new diagnostics and therapeutics to address multidrug‑resistant strains.
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