At a glance
About the estimates
National public health surveillance does not yet exist for all fungal diseases. CDC provides estimates based on 2021-2023 health insurance claims, hospitalizations, and death certificates. The true burden of fungal diseases is likely higher than these estimates because fungal diseases are underdiagnosed and underreported. It is critical to raise awareness, improve testing, and develop more antifungal treatment options.
Burden of fungal diseases
Deaths
Some fungal diseases can be life-threatening, especially among people with certain risk factors and people who are hospitalized. National death certificate data from 2023 were used to estimate the number of deaths linked to fungal diseases. Deaths from fungal diseases are increasing from previous years.
Did you know?
An estimated 7,288 deaths are linked to fungal diseases each year.
That is about the same as the number of pedestrian deaths.
1,060
60
Any candidiasis
1,903
Invasive or severe candidiasis
1,132
Non-invasive/unspecified candidiasis
832
Coccidioidomycosis
Cryptococcosis
Ringworm and superficial mycoses
20
Other and unspecified mycoses
Hospitalizations
The estimated total number of hospitalizations associated with fungal diseases is based on 2021 data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP).
Did you know?
Each year, around 130,000 hospitalizations were associated with fungal diseases.
This is similar to the number of hospitalizations associated with norovirus, a common foodborne illness.
Any candidiasis
63,255
Invasive or severe candidiasis
61,120
Non-invasive/unspecified candidiasis
2,290
Coccidioidomycosis
10,640
Cryptococcosis
4,720
Ringworm and superficial mycoses
545
Histoplasmosis
4,380
Pneumocystis pneumonia
8,585
Mucormycosis
1,920
Other and unspecified mycoses
23,530
Total
133,555
Outpatient visits
Some of the most common fungal diseases, like ringworm and vaginal candidiasis, are usually diagnosed and treated in outpatient settings. These estimates of the number of outpatient visits associated with fungal diseases are based on health insurance claims data and other data sources.
Did you know?
An estimated 13 million outpatient health care visits for fungal diseases occur every year.
That's nearly 25 visits each minute.
64,336
Blastomycosis
6,551
Any candidiasis
3,849,405
Invasive or severe candidiasis
106,599
Non-invasive/unspecified candidiasis
3,780,841
Coccidioidomycosis
85,925
Cryptococcosis
11,836
Ringworm and superficial mycoses
9,046,811
Histoplasmosis
75,229
Pneumocystis pneumonia
13,853
Mucormycosis
7,248
Other and unspecified mycoses
96,033
Total
13,369,951
Financial costs
These estimates include costs of hospitalizations, outpatient visits, early deaths, and missed work associated with fungal diseases. These numbers represent the total yearly estimated cost of each fungal disease for the entire United States.
Did you know?
Fungal diseases cost more than $19 billion per year in the United States.
That is close to the entire GDP of Jamaica.*
* The total market value of goods and services produced in Jamaica.
$2,748,772,580
Blastomycosis
$143,070,233
Any candidiasis
$5,891,043,570
Invasive or severe candidiasis
$5,277,228,823
Non-invasive/unspecified candidiasis
$1,649,466,457
Coccidioidomycosis
Cryptococcosis
Ringworm and superficial mycoses
Histoplasmosis
$503,834,216
Pneumocystis pneumonia
$1,218,311,039
Mucormycosis
Other and unspecified mycoses
Total
$19,365,812,130