Outbreaks and Investigations

Disease detectives collecting soil samples to test for fungus

When fungal disease outbreaks occur, CDC’s Mycotic Diseases Branch works with federal, state, and local and territorial public health officials and other partners to reduce illness and deaths and to learn how to prevent future outbreaks.

Fungal outbreaks have been linked to a variety of sources, including exposure to disease-causing fungi in the natural environment or injections with contaminated medication. With systems in place for early identification for these types of events, CDC and partners can continue to track, test for, respond to, and better understand emerging fungal health threats.

Some fungal diseases may be more common than previously realized, and rare but newly-emerging fungi are becoming increasingly problematic. Some types of fungal infections can be deadly if they are not identified and treated quickly, so early recognition is essential in order to reduce the risk of serious complications and save lives.