According to a New York Times report, one of the many consequences of our response to the new coronavirus pandemic may well be the emergence of dangerous, drug-resistant bacteria and fungi.
The report notes that a number of different pathogens, which are considered highly dangerous, have resurfaced as hospitals struggled to meet the challenges of the pandemic. Of particular concern is the fungus candida auris, which has been described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a “threat to global health”.
Candida auris is extremely difficult to detect and is highly resistant to drugs. According to the report, there are now about 250 confirmed cases in Los Angeles County alone, while before the pandemic there were only a “handful” of cases.
Other pathogens that are on the rise in the article include the potentially fatal Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter, called the “urgent health threat” by the CDC.
The report notes that several factors may have contributed to the spread of these other drug-resistant pathogens.
First, during the early stages of the pandemic, several facilities were forced to reuse the protective equipment that was missing at the time. Second, the laser-like focus on testing for COVID-19 has hampered the ability of medical providers to properly test and track these pathogens.
Third, the coronavirus pandemic has led to a sharp increase in the use of ventilators, which are known collectors of dangerous pathogens, particularly for long-term patients. And fourth, pressure on the medical system may have led to a failure in “infection control” for pathogens like C. auris, because the medical team is focused on the COVID-19 protocols, excluding the sanitation measures that have been implemented to prevent spread of the fungus in 2019.
In addition, we may not yet know the extent of the spread of many of these pathogens because screening for them remains virtually interrupted due to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.