A case of human infection with the deadly fungus Candida auris was first identified in Brazil. This was announced on Tuesday by the National Sanitary Inspection Agency (Anvisa).
As specified, the microorganism was found in a patient in the intensive care unit of a hospital in the northeastern state of Bahia. “A study of its phenotype is being conducted to determine the sensitivity of the microorganism,” – said in a message on the website of the organ. Medical organizations of the country have been issued a recommendation to strengthen the prevention and control of the spread of the fungus.
Candida auris was first identified as the causative agent in humans in 2009 in Japan. Some of its strains are resistant to all three main classes of antifungal drugs, and its accurate determination is possible only with the help of special laboratory methods. The first case of Candida auris infection in Latin America was identified in 2012 in Venezuela. Then the causative agent of the disease was immediately identified in 18 patients of the hospital in Maracaibo, 13 of whom were children.
