Brazilians infected with superfungus remain hospitalized in Pernambuco

The state of Pernambuco identified in three people O super fungus candida auris. In a short interval of two weeks, the State Health Department of Pernambuco (SES-PE) stepped up the protocol hospital surveillance.

The first patient diagnosed with candida auris was a 48 year old man. The case was confirmed on the day may 11 and, since that date, the patient remains hospitalized at the Hospital Miguel Arraes, in the city of Paulista, in Pernambuco. Already in May 14th, a 77-year-old man was also diagnosed with the super fungus. He remains hospitalized at Hospital Tricentenario, in Olinda.

This Monday (22), SES-PE started a protocol of suspension of new calls at Miguel Arraes Hospital, where the first patient was identified and admitted, to prevent the fungus from spreading. Already in May 23, the third case was confirmed. The patient is a 66-year-old male. The case was confirmed at the Hospital Português, in the Paissandu neighborhood, central Recife.

besides the Brazilthe fungus has caused alerts in the health authorities in the USA. the fungus candida auris is resistant to common antifungal medications, and has a high mortality rate. Experts point out that 30% to 65% of those infected die from the disease. Despite this, experts point out that the fungus is not a direct threat to the general public. The risks are greater for patients who already have comorbidities or who underwent an invasive procedure.

_{Candida auris fungus (Photo: Reproduction/REUTERS)}

It was in Pernambuco that Brazil recorded the largest outbreak of the super fungus candida aurisaccording to a recent survey by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz). In all, 48 cases of the disease were reported between November 2021 and March 2022 in Recife, the highest number since the first confirmed case in December 2020, in Salvador, bahia.

In 2020, the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) highlighted that the fungus “poses a serious threat to global health”. This is because some strains of the fungus “They are resistant to all major classes of antifungal medications. And identification requires more specific laboratory methods, since Candida auris can be easily confused with other types of fungi”, ends the note.

Featured photo: Candida auris fungus. Playback/Science Photo Library/BBC