It’s not just antibiotic resistance that’s a problem. There’s been a growing outbreak of an antifungal resistant fungus the last few years.
Candida auris is a fungal infection mostly striking those with other severe conditions. In general, it’s common for people who’ve had a prolonged treatment with antibiotics to be more susceptible to fungal infections (the good bacteria get wiped out, leaving room for other pathogens, including fungi). Hospital stays are usually a perfect storm: whatever is serious enough to get you there, treatment (possibly preventative) with antibiotics, and lots of germs around.
Candida auris isn’t (necessarily) athlete’s foot, it can cause infections in a wound, the blood stream, or just be a severe ear infection. Diagnosing it isn’t straightforward, either. It requires doctors to specifically think to check for it.
Cases of C. auris have so far been clustered in New York, New Jersey, and Chicago, but drug resistance can start, or spread, anywhere. Given the difficult to diagnose nature of C. auris, there’s a chance that doctors are just more aware of it in areas where it’s already been identified.
Aside from being in a hard to control hospital situation, you can help prevent fungal infections a couple of ways. First, avoid common skin infections by keeping skin clean and dry. Fungi love warm, wet, dark places.
Support your natural good bacteria, which can help crowd out and fight off pathogens like fungi. You can replenish good bacteria with a high-quality probiotic supplement like Flora MGR.
And support your immune system with colloidal silver. Weakened immune systems are the most susceptible to fungal infections.
