Data Shows Illinois Is a Hotspot for Drug-Resistant Infection

The Centers for Disease Control has sounded the alarm about a nasty drug-resistant infection that can be life-threatening. New data shows Illinois is a hotspot for this dangerous bug that cannot be stopped by medicine.

A new bulletin from the CDC shows the infection Candida auris is now present in at least 28 states and Illinois is one of the biggest hotspots.

What is Candida auris and why is it dangerous?

It's a type of yeast that is resistant to drugs meaning it's very difficult to treat and can result in very dangerous blood infections. This is especially a problem in nursing homes and hospitals as the elderly and those who are sick with reduced immunity can be susceptible to being impacted by Candida auris.

There is some good news about C. auris and Illinois, though

I dug deeper into the numbers that have been shared by the CDC and while it's true that Illinois has a confirmed 489 cases in 2025, there are no new cases I can find over the past week. Historically, this drug-resistant bug has been a problem in Illinois as the Land of Lincoln had 596 confirmed cases the year prior in 2024. Here are the places this yeast tends to be found:

• Breathing tubes
• Breathing tubes
• Catheters
• Bedrails
• Doorknobs
• Blood pressure cuffs

The good news is the healthy are not normally in danger of serious health issues if they come in contact with this yeast. The bad news is even the healthy can inadvertently pass it on to the more at-risk in hospitals and nursing homes. Better safe than sorry.