(NEXSTAR) – Health experts have been sounding the alarm for years on Candida auris, a drug-resistant fungus that's hard to diagnose, hard to eliminate and hard to treat once it takes hold. The deadly fungus, also called C. auris, has nearly tripled this summer, and a new study published by Cambridge University Press shows who is getting hit hardest.

Candida auris is especially dangerous in health care settings, like hospitals and nursing facilities, where it can live on surfaces – like door knobs, counters and bed rails – for long periods of time. It's resistant to antimicrobials, having developed a resistance to the drugs designed to kill it, making it hard to clean and eliminate.

The fungus typically enters the body through a catheter, breathing tube, feeding tube or PICC line.

The st

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