Deadly, drug-resistant fungus spreads in California. Here’s who is at risk

A deadly, drug-resistant fungus has infected more than 7,000 people across 27 U.S. states, including California, according to federal data.

The fungus — called Candida auris — is considered an “emerging infectious disease,” as health care providers have seen an increase in cases since 2019, Cleveland Clinic experts said.

As of Dec. 20, California had reported 1, 524 cases of the fungal infection in 2025, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There have been three reported cases in California in 2026 as of Jan. 10, the agency said.

Here’s what to know about the fungal infection in California:

What is Candida auris?

Candida auris is a type of yeast infection that spreads rapidly among sick patients in health care facilities, federal health experts said.

The fungus can cause everything from skin infections to life-threatening bloodstream infections, according to the CDC.

It’s difficult to treat as it adapts to drugs designed to kill it, experts said.

From 2016 to 2022, cases of the fungal infection resulted in a mortality rate of 34%, the CDC said.

How do people get deadly fungal infection?

C. auris usually affects patients with severe underlying medical conditions and people with invasive medical devices such as breathing tubes, feeding tubes and catheters, according to the CDC.

The infection spreads through surfaces and objects and can live on a patient’s skin or body sites even if they don’t have symptoms, the CDC said.

Health care providers and visitors aren’t at risk of becoming infected, experts said.

What are symptoms of Candida auris?

While symptoms of Candida auris don’t always show, they include the following, according to the Cleveland Clinic:

• Ear infections
• Wound infections
• Urinary tract infections
• Blood infections that spread to the rest of the body

How can C. auris be prevented?

According the CDC, health care providers take the following steps to prevent the spread of Candida auris:

• Frequent hand cleaning with alcohol-based sanitizer
• Isolation of patients with C. auris
• Constant disinfecting of patients’ rooms
• Wearing gloves and gowns when delivering care
• Cleaning of visitors’ hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer

Which other states have reported cases of Candida auris?

These are all the states where the infection has spread as of Dec. 20, according to CDC data:

• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Delaware
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Michigan
• Mississippi
• Montana
• Nevada
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

As of Tuesday, Jan. 20, a total of 12 states had active Candida auris outbreaks, including Arizona and California. C. auris infections were also reported in Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia in January.

This story was originally published January 20, 2026 at 9:52 AM.