A deadly fungus with mysterious origins is raising alarms

Candidas auris, which is spreading around the world, is difficult to detect and even harder to treat. Here’s what we know about it so far, and who’s at risk.

In 2009, a new fungus was found in Tokyo, swabbed from a woman’s ear. In 2016, it was detected for the first time in the U.S., at a hospital in New York. Today, it’s been found in 28 states and the District of Columbia.

Early research suggests rising global temperatures, a byproduct of climate change, may have helped it evolve to live inside the human body. But the fungus’ origins remain a mystery—where it emerged and why it did so suddenly are still unclear.

Read the full story featuring Dr. Luis Ostrosky…

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