Calls For Health Emergency As Dangerous IL 'Superbug' Cases Spike

ILLINOIS — A top US lawmaker wants a public health emergency declared now that cases of a potentially dangerous, drug-resistant fungal infection – known as the "Superbug" – have risen in Illinois and elsewhere. Illinois has the second-highest number of cases in the nation, second only to New York.

US Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, wants the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to declare an emergency that would free up millions of dollars to fight the disease's spread.

Schumer made the call as the CDC reported that Illinois' total number of "Candida auris" cases rose from 144 a month ago to 156 as of Monday. There are also four probable cases in Illinois, the CDC said.

Illnois trails only New York, which has had 319 confirmed cases. The CDC says there have been 613 confirmed cases across the country, up from 587 a month ago.

"We are here today to urge the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control, to deliver a whole bunch of resources that can help New York and other states kill this bug and stop its spread," Schumer said during a Sunday press conference.

Efforts to obtain comment from the CDC were not immediately successful.

Schumer said an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars is needed to help identify the threat and diagnose additional cases; tackle it through preventative efforts such as education; and treat it without relying on antibiotics, since the disease has shown to be resistant to them.

Schumer said there is money in the federal budget to deal with the disease that could only be freed if an emergency is declared. It wouldn't be the first time the US government has had to take such a step, he said.

Schumer noted that $165 million was allocated toward dealing with the Ebola virus several years ago.

"With something as deadly as Candida auris, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," he said.

The cases of the serious and sometimes fatal fungal infection, which are emerging globally, have been identified in Illinois and 11 other states across America, according to the CDC.

This yeast is difficult to identity and often does not respond to commonly used anti-fungal drugs, leading to high mortality, according to Rutgers University officials.

Based on information from a limited number of patients, the CDC says, 30 to 60 percent of people with C. auris infections have died. However, many of these people had other serious illnesses that also increased their risk of death.

“It’s acting like a superbug," Paige Armstrong, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service officer, has said. "Without appropriate infection control and really a rigorous response, [it] could lead to even more cases in the United States.”

Candida grows as yeast, and symptoms include difficulty swallowing, burning, genital itching and sometimes a cheese-like discharge that looks white, according to the CDC.

In 2009, C. auris was first described in a patient in Japan. There is documented transmission of C. auris to US patients from healthcare facilities in India, Pakistan, South Africa and Venezuela, according to the CDC.

Fungal infections often cause serious diseases among patients with compromised immune systems or other debilitating conditions resulting in high morbidity and mortality. Globally, nearly 1.4 million deaths a year are attributed to invasive fungal infections, which is on par with deadly diseases like tuberculosis, according to the CDC.

Here are ways to avoid contracting the disease:

• One of the best ways to prevent the spread of dangerous germs like C. auris in healthcare settings is good hand hygiene. Washing hands frequently can help prevent its spread.
• Early and accurate identification, rigorous infection control practices, and communication between facilities are key to reducing the spread in healthcare settings.
• Proper infection control involves consistent handwashing, use of personal protective equipment and cleaning and disinfection of medical equipment and the healthcare environment.
• When patients are transferred to other healthcare facilities, the receiving facilities should be notified of C. auris infection and the level of precautions recommended.

By Tom Davis, Patch National Staff