Columns The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias Immunocompromised? Watch Out for the C. Auris Fungus. Immunocompromised? Watch Out for the C. Auris Fungus. by Ed Tobias | April 12, 2019 Share this article: Share article via email Copy article link Most healthy people probably don’t have to worry about a fungus called Candida auris, or simply C. auris. But if your immune system is compromised, it’s a different story. Health officials say C. auris should be of special concern to people whose immune systems are not at full strength, and I’m one of them. I’m being treated with LemtradaĀ (alemtuzumab). It, like OcrevusĀ (ocrelizumab), Mavenclad (cladribine), and aHSCTĀ (autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation), weakens our immune systems as part of the treatment process. Steroids such as Solu-MedrolĀ (methylprednisolone) and prednisone, can also reduce immune system activity. Not only might my immune system not be up to doing battle with this attacker, the healthcare community might not have very many weapons with which to fight it. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some C. auris infections resist all three of the medications used to treat fungal infections. The fungus is also very persistent, and can remain on a surface for weeks. As reported in The New York Times, it’s extremely difficult to eradicate in a hospital setting. āEverything was positive ā the walls, the bed, the doors, the curtains, the phones, the sink, the whiteboard, the poles, the pump,ā the president of a New York City hospital where there was a C. auris death told the Times. āThe mattress, the bed rails, the canister holes, the window shades, the ceiling, everything in the room was positive.ā The C. auris threat is considered ‘urgent.’ The Times reports, “Over the last five years, (C. auris) has hit a neonatal unit in Venezuela, swept through a hospital in Spain, forced a prestigious British medical center (the Royal Brompton Hospital in London) to shut down its intensive care unit, and taken root in India, Pakistan and South Africa.” Recently, it’s been reported in New York, New Jersey, and Illinois. C. auris is one of only three bacteria and fungi on the CDC list of āurgent threatsā ā the highest threat category. Dr. Lynn Sosa, the deputy state epidemiologist for Connecticut, sees C. auris as the top threat among drug-resistant infections. She told the Times “itās pretty much unbeatable and difficult to identify.” Its symptoms ā chills and fever ā are similar to those of many other infections. Should you be concerned? As I wrote at the start of this column, most healthy people probably don’t need to worry about this. That’s also likely true for most of us with MS. The CDC says C. auris is still rare in the United States, where it seems to be confined to healthcare facilities. “[P]eople who have lines and tubes that go into their body (such as breathing tubes, feeding tubes and central venous catheters), seem to be at highest risk,” the agency added. I’ll be asking my neurologist about about C. auris during my next appointment. I suggest you do the same if you’re being treated with steroids or with a DMT that suppresses your immune system. If you’re treated in a healthcare facility, you might want to ask whether it has had any C. auris cases. There’s probably not much you can do other than being vigilant, but knowledge is power. Just knowing that this nasty fungus is lurking might allow it to be quickly identified and treated if unexplained chills and fever that don’t react to medications should strike you. You’re invited to visit my personal blog at www.themswire.com. *** Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis. Print This Page About the Author Ed Tobias People say to write what you know and Ed Tobias knows about MS. He's lived with the illness since 1980, when he was 32 years old. Ed's a retired, award-winning broadcast journalist and his column combines his four decades of MS experiences with news and comments about the latest in the MS community. In addition to writing his column, Ed is one of the patient moderators on the MS News Today Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram sites. Heās also the author of āThe Multiple Sclerosis Toolbox: Hints and Tips for Living with M.S.ā Ed and his wife split their time between the Washington, D.C. suburbs and Floridaās Gulf Coast, trying to follow the sun. Comments Arlene Matthews How serious can this fungus. C. Auris affect someone with lupus what could be the symptoms to question If a person have attracted this disease fungus Reply Leave a comment Fill in the required fields to post. Your email address will not be published. Your Name Your Email Your Comment Post Comment
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