3 replies to this topic

[jroseland]

I've been following some of the alarming news coming out about Candida Auris, which is a nasty fungus that is resistant to all known antibiotics and antifungals. There are outbreaks in several major US cities, it's killed some people and at least several hundred cases of infections.

 

Apparently the main transmission vector is hospitals. Several (rather dramatic) news reports and videos have characterized this as something really scary that might kill up to a billion people.

Candida auris: The Silent Superbug that's Already Too Late to Stop

 

 

Is it a civilization threatening scourge? Is this "Outbreak" in real life? Or is it rather unremarkable? Might it evolve into something more concerning? Does it deserve the label "Superbug"?

 

The CDC Candida Auris page https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/candida-auris/index.html

[Mind]

Seems to be "nasty" primarily (maybe even exclusively) in people with weakened immune systems, like many other species of yeast, bacteria, viruses, and "bugs/germs".

 

I am always wary of these stories. Why? I have heard the "superbug" story LITERALLY every single year of my life (as far back as I can remember anyway). How many of these "superbugs" ended up wiping out the human race? Zero.

 

I am much more worried about human engineered pathogens. Over the course of the millennia, human immune systems have encountered and survived every natural "bug".

[Mind]

In addition, I am pretty sure that viruses have a much higher potential to spread from person to person, than yeast/mold.

[jroseland]

I am always wary of these stories. Why? I have heard the "superbug" story LITERALLY every single year of my life (as far back as I can remember anyway). How many of these "superbugs" ended up wiping out the human race? Zero.

 

Yeah, the media has probably cried wolf too many times. When a superbug actually comes along too many will probably ignore it until it's too late.