Alarming new fungal infection not like The Last of Us, doctor cautions

The Last of Us, which just wrapped up its first season on HBO, is about a fungal plague that infects hundreds of millions of people around the world and ushers in a zombie apocalypse. Naturally, this is the perfect time for the CDC to release a report about Candida auris, a kind of yeast that is increasingly infecting people in hospitals.

According to the CDC, the C. auris fungus can be found on the skin and throughout the body. About one third of people who become sick with it die. The number of infections rose by 95%, from 756 to 1,471, between 2020 and 2021. It’s also possible to be “colonized” by the fungus, which means you carry it without experiencing symptoms. There was a 209% increase in people so colonized over that same span of years, from 1,310 infections in 2020 to 4,041 in 2021.

Before you go burning all the mushrooms in your fridge, know that C. auris is not a problem for people who are healthy; it’s an issue affecting folks with already compromised immune systems. It also has yet to make its way out of hospitals into wider communities. It’s still cause for alarm, but things aren’t yet apocalyptic. “By its nature it has an extreme ability to survive on surfaces,” epidemiologist Dr. Waleed Javaid told NBC News. “It can colonize walls, cables, bedding, chairs. We clean everything with bleach and UV light.”

Candida auris fungus not on the same level as cordyceps from The Last of Us

It all does kind of recall The Last of Us, to the point Dr. Javaid name-dropped the show when warning against panic. “[W]e don’t want people who watched ‘The Last of Us’ to think we’re all going to die,” he said. “This is an infection that occurs in extremely ill individuals who are usually sick with a lot of other issues.”

The CDC’s paper about C. auris is published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The hope is that increased awareness of the fungus about medical professionals will help them tamp down on spread.

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels