“The emerging multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen Candida auris has been labeled as an urgent threat by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition, the World Health Organization has designated C auris as a critical priority for research and public health action … The most common severe presentation is fungemia, which may be related to presence of intravascular catheters,” states Dr. Anastasia Wasylyshyn, University of Michigan.
What did Dr. Wasylyshyn report in her article, “Management of Candida auris” in the JAMA, January 22, 2024?
“As of December 31, 2022, there have been more than 5,000 clinical cases of C auris infection across 28 states in the US in 2020.
Most C auris cases and outbreaks in the US occur in high-acuity post acute care facilities.
Risk factors for colonization and infection with C auris are similar to those for other Candida species and include advanced age, diabetes, recent surgery, presence of an indwelling medical device (eg, central venous catheter), immunosuppression (eg, neutropenia), end-stage kidney disease with use of hemodialysis, and receipt of broad-spectrum antimicrobials, including antifungals.
Crude mortality associated with C auris fungemia ranges from 30% to 72%.”
To learn more from Dr. Wasylyshyn: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2814320?guestaccesskey=4efc1a06-6e77-4e35-a61c-84e47234f278.
Greg Vigna, MD, JD, national pharmaceutical injury attorney, “Physicians have always known that PICC lines and other central lines cause bloodstream infections and blood clots. Physicians expect that the PICC lines and midlines that are placed in their patients are safe and technologically up-to-date to reduce the known risks of bloodstream infections and blood clots. Polyurethane and silicone PICC lines are defective products because there are safer materials that reduce the risk of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections.”
Dr. Vigna concludes, “Candida bloodstream infections are associated with clinical evidence of sepsis and have high mortality. PICC lines and central lines are significant risk factors for these serious medical conditions. We are investigating hospital-acquired bloodstream infections caused by old, obsolete polyurethane PICC lines that are overwhelmingly used in clinical practice, as there are safer devices that substantially prevent these types of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections.”
What is sepsis? Multiple organ damage from inflammation due to infection that may result in organ damage to the brain, kidney, heart, liver, and lung.
What is septic shock? A life-threatening condition that causes dangerously low blood pressure because of infection that may result in amputations of fingers and toes, brain damage, kidney failure, ventilator dependence, oxygen dependence, and nerve damage.
Dr. Vigna is a California and Washington DC lawyer who represents those with serious injuries caused by defective medical devices including PICC lines and Med-Ports that lead to sepsis. He represents the injured with the Ben Martin Law Group, a national pharmaceutical injury law firm in Dallas, Texas. The attorneys are product liability and medical malpractice attorneys, and they represent the most injured across the country.