In recent days, 18 cases of super fungus infection have been diagnosed in China, and the news about super fungus has caused a panic in Weibo and friends circle, because it is reported that the death rate of this super fungus is as high as 60%, and it has broken out in many places in the United States. So will we be infected by the super fungus? Who are easy to be targeted? Today we will learn about this mysterious super fungus.
What is' superfungus'
The so-called "super fungus" here is actually a fungus called Candida auris, a budding yeast.
It was first isolated from the external ear drainage fluid of a Japanese patient and 15 Korean patients in 2009. It can cause severe Candida infection and is resistant to current antifungal drugs.
Candida auratus has spread all over the world, and has caused several outbreaks of nosocomial infections in the world.
What are the threats of 'super fungi' to people
Clinically, it is generally believed that Candida auralis can cause fungemia, ventriculitis, osteomyelitis, malignant otitis media (including otomastoiditis), severe abdominal infection, pericarditis, severe pleural effusion, external vaginitis, etc.
The initial symptoms are fever, pain and fatigue. If the fungus spreads to the blood, brain or heart, it can kill people.
However, unlike other Candida infections, it is not clear that Candida auralis infection is directly related to respiratory, urinary and soft tissue infections.
What kind of people are easily infected by 'super fungi'
ICU patients, surgical patients and diabetic patients are easy to be infected with Candida auralis.
In addition, the health status of patients, such as whether the immune system is suppressed, whether there are serious complications, whether there are central venous catheters or catheters, whether parenteral nutrition and long-term use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, may become risk factors for infection.
But people with normal immunity have little risk of infection, so there is no need to panic!
How harmful are 'super fungi'
Candida auratus is not easy to be detected by conventional laboratory diagnosis, but is generally judged by mass spectrometry and biotechnology, so the diagnosis efficiency is low.
Candida auratus is a kind of organism from the black salt lake, which may be a newly evolved pathogen. The three kinds of antifungal drugs used in clinic can not completely kill it.
Candida auralis is resistant to fluconazole, which is the most widely used antifungal drug at present. Among echinocandins, anifenjing, caspofungin and micafungin have the strongest activity, but they can only be used as an empirical treatment. Amphotericin B is only used for the trial treatment when echinocandins are ineffective.
In addition, superfungi have strong vitality and survive in the skin of medical staff, the surface of hospital facilities and the environment for a long time in the form of a highly resistant 'biofilm'.
Although 10% povidone iodine is used for preoperative scrubbing, it can destroy the early and mature Candida biofilm. However, conventional disinfectants such as hydrogen peroxide and dichlorobenzene biguanidine are not easy to kill.
Therefore, it is easy to spread in the environment, human skin and even treatment equipment, resulting in explosive nosocomial infection.
How to prevent super fungi
1. The infected should be strictly isolated at the first time
2. Pay attention to hand disinfection
3. Disinfect environment and equipment with recommended disinfectant
4. Infected patients should be informed in advance when transferred to the hospital
5. People who have close contact with infected people should be investigated
6. Monitoring of new cases, identification of transmission routes, to block
Therefore, there is no need for excessive panic about superfungi, but we should pay attention to keep healthy living habits and not abuse antibiotics.