Montana Confirms First Case of Drug-Resistant Fungus

Montana finally cracked a list we don’t want to be on. Health officials confirmed the first person to be infected with Candida auris in the state. It is an uncommon but deadly fungal infection that is difficult to treat with usual medication.

Now wait! Before everyone grabs a baseball bat and heads for the hills, let me straighten a few things out.

This is not The Last of Us. No one is being transformed into mushroom zombies. There are no spores in the air turning people into clickers. But Candida auris remains a threat, particularly in hospitals and nursing homes, where people already tend to have compromised immune systems.

This fungus can be resistant to antifungal medications. So it isn't something as simple as athlete's foot.. That makes it a real problem if it goes around. It typically spreads across unclean surfaces or from contaminated equipment. Sick people are pretty much safe, but people who are either sick or have had surgery are vulnerable.

The first Montana case had been detected inside a health care facility. This means there are already infection control steps being taken behind the scenes.

We might be hardened by the Montana weather, but fungus is an entirely different battle.

We can laugh about that now, but it’s big time keeping it contained. We already have plenty of real-life wild stuff to attend to. We don’t need a fungal pandemic added to the tally.

Stay safe. Wash your hands. If you want to see The Last of Us, go right ahead, but there’s nothing to be afraid of. We’re far from Hollywood horror yet.