ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – A deadly and drug-resistant fungus known as Candida auris is expanding its global footprint and exhibiting increased resistance to human immune systems, presenting a growing challenge to healthcare facilities worldwide, according to a newly released scientific review.

The pathogen, which has already permeated hospitals across the United States, has now been identified in at least 60 countries, prompting urgent warnings from medical researchers regarding the need for improved diagnostics and novel therapeutic agents.

The findings were detailed in a extensive review published in early December by researchers from the Hackensack Meridian Center for discovery and Innovation (CDI).

The report, which appeared in the journal Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, underscores the accelerating threat posed by C. auris, frequently enough referred to as a “superbug fungus.” According to the review, the fungus is becoming increasingly difficult to contain due to its ability to withstand existing treatments and its growing resilience against the body’s natural defenses.

The review was conducted by a team of prominent specialists, including Dr. Neeraj Chauhan of the Hackensack Meridian CDI in New Jersey, Dr. Anuradha Chowdhary of the University of Delhi’s Medical Mycology Unit, and Dr. Michail Lionakis, who serves as chief of the clinical mycology program at the National Institutes of Health.

Their collective analysis reinforces prior alerts issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),which has labeled C. auris as an “urgent antimicrobial threat.” Notably, this marks the first instance that a fungal pathogen has received such a designation from the agency.

The scale of the infection’s spread has become a focal point for health officials. Fox News reported that approximately 7,000 cases were identified across dozens of U.S. states in 2025 alone. The fungus, which was first identified in 2009 from a patient’s ear sample in Japan, has since traversed the globe.The rapid proliferation of the pathogen has forced some hospital intensive care units to temporarily shut down to manage outbreaks, according to the researchers involved in the study.

The distinct danger of C. auris lies in its persistence and mode of transmission. Unlike many other fungal pathogens, C. auris possesses the ability to survive on human skin and cling to surfaces within hospital environments.

This resilience allows it to transfer easily between patients and medical equipment.Dr. Marc Siegel, a senior medical analyst for Fox News and a clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone, explained the transmission mechanics in an interview with Fox News Digital.