In recent years, some European hospitals have recorded cases of infection from a drug -resistant mushroom, often defined by the media as the “killer mushroom”. But what do we really know about this microorganism and how dangerous is it?
The much feared mushroom is Candidazyma Auris (ex Candida Auris), capable of causing serious infections especially in already fragile patients. According to the new report of the European Center for the prevention and control of diseases (European Center for Disease Prevention and Control – ECDC), between 2013 and 2023 over 4,000 cases have been reported in the countries of the European Union and the European Economic Space, with a leap at 1,346 cases only in 2023. And Italy is among the countries most affected by the problem.
What is Candidazyma Auris
Candidazyma Auris is a microorganism that can colonize the skin and cause invasive infections. Identified for the first time in 2009 in Japan, the mushroom has spread rapidly in different countries, becoming an increasingly serious problem for European hospitals. It is particularly difficult to control because it can persist for a long time on surfaces, medical instruments and equipment, and resists many antifungal drugs.
The contagion takes place mainly in hospitals and health facilities. Candidazyma Auris can colonize the skin of patients for months and survive on surfaces and medical devices. Direct contagion or contact with contaminated surfaces are the main transmission vehicles. Outside the health environments, the diffusion is very rare.
According to the ECDC, the speed with which the mushroom can spread in hospitals requires early diagnosis and coordinated interventions to prevent local and regional epidemics.
Symptoms and diagnoses
Candidazyma Auris infections often go unnoticed. They can manifest themselves with fever, chills or generic symptoms, or cause more serious problems such as otitis, infections of wounds, blood or abdominal organs. The diagnosis requires specialized laboratory tests, because the mushroom can be confused with other species of candida.
Because it raises concern
The mushroom is resistant to many antifungals, including Azoli, Amporicin B and echinocandine, which makes the treatment more complex and sometimes requires combined therapies. His ability to persist on hospital surfaces facilitates the diffusion between patients, in particular those already fragile. However, with adequate prevention measures, rigorous hygiene and coordinated control of infections, it is possible to limit its transmission.
The 2025 ECDC report then highlights some gaps in surveillance systems: only 17 of the 36 participating countries have a national monitoring system and only 15 have specific guidelines for the prevention and control of infections. This means that the real scope of the problem could be underestimated.
The situation in Italy
As we have already said, between 2013 and 2023, over 4,000 cases of Candidazyma Auris (ex Candida Auris) have been reported in the countries of the European Union and the European Economic Spazio, with a peak of 1,346 cases in only 2023 To these are added another 62 Italian cases for which it was not possible to indicate the year of appearance.
The first Italian case was detected in July 2019 in a hospital in Liguria, followed by other sporadic cases and a subsequent diffusion in other regions, including Emilia-Romagna. The mushroom has so quickly spread in Italian hospitals, going from isolated episodes to a more widespread presence.
It is clear that the situation requires the utmost attention and close collaboration between doctors, hospitals and health authorities from all over Europe. Only through rigorous checks and timely diagnoses will it be possible to contain the spread of this resistant mushroom.
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