Washington faces first outbreak of Candida auris fungal infections
Four people in Washington state have tested positive for Candida auris, a fungal infection that's been on the rise in the U.S. It can be difficult to treat and sometimes deadly.
Four people in Washington state have tested positive this month for a rare fungal infection that can be deadly.
It's the state's first known outbreak of the fungus, called Candida auris, according to Seattle and King County health officials, though one locally acquired case was detected there in July.
The cluster comes as Candida auris continues to spread in the U.S.: Case numbers have risen every year since 2016.
The pathogen is resistant to some common antifungal medications, and it tends to infect people with weakened immune systems. It's often detected among hospital patients who use catheters, breathing tubes or feeding tubes.
All four people in Washington who tested positive were patients at Kindred Hospital Seattle First Hill, a long-term acute care hospital. None have died, the public health department for Seattle and King County told NBC News.
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