Superbugs are pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, that present serious threats in hospitals, exposing vulnerable patients to higher risks of infections and even death. In the U.S. alone, an estimated 2.8 million infections and 35,000 deaths annually are caused by microbe strains that have developed resistance to multiple drugs — one of the most significant global public health threats of this century.
Unfortunately, hospitals, where the most vulnerable patients are concentrated, also serve as breeding grounds for these superbugs, fostering pathogens like the well-known MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). This strain can cause serious bloodstream infections or pneumonia.
A relatively new and dangerous fungal pathogen, Candida auris, is also on the rise, prompting researchers to quantify these fungal infections and study how they manifest in patients. Their research, which included clinical cultures of C. auris collected between April 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023, was published in the American Journal of Infection Control.
