Fungus Among Us: CDC's Messaging Strategies Highlighted at ICON 2024

By Lara Kilchenmann

At ICON 2024 in Anaheim, Calif., I had the opportunity to attend a session titled “Fungus Among Us”, led by the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) Press Secretary, Katia Martinez. The session provided an insightful look into how the CDC manages public health messaging, especially on emerging fungal threats.

Act 1: The Last of Us Hype
The intersection between pop culture and public health was my favorite part of the session. The biggest surprise for me was discovering how much The Last of Us—a game about a fungus turning people into zombies—affected real-world communication efforts at the CDC. When the show premiered in 2023, there was a flood of media questions about whether such a scenario could actually happen. Martinez explained how the CDC had to act quickly, craft pitches, conduct media interviews and consistently reframe the story to address the public’s heightened fears. 

Act 2: Candida Auris
The session then shifted to Candida auris (C. auris), a fungal infection primarily affecting critically ill patients. Martinez discussed how the CDC’s communication team prepared for the release of a key paper on C. auris in March 2023. Extensive media training and content preparation helped ensure clear messaging when the press release was issued the same day the paper was published. This taught me the importance of being strategic and prepared in PR, ensuring that when important information is released, it's communicated clearly and confidently to prevent misunderstandings.

Act 3: Fungal Meningitis Outbreak
Martinez concluded the session with a case study on the fungal meningitis outbreak in 2023, which impacted patients who had traveled to a clinic in Mexico for cosmetic surgery. Martinez stressed how crucial media outreach was to finding at-risk patients. The CDC couldn’t directly contact many individuals, so they relied heavily on social and traditional media to spread the word. Thanks to their efforts, they reached 170 out of 230 potential cases. This taught me the significant impact social media can have in public health communication, highlighting its ability to effectively disseminate vital information and connect with communities that might otherwise be missed.

A Lesson in Communication Power

The session highlighted two major takeaways that I'll carry forward into my own career path:

1. Communication isn’t just about facts—it’s about framing the story. One of the key points Martinez emphasized was the importance of reframing the narrative to match the public’s concerns. For example, the CDC had to manage how C. Auris was perceived by clarifying that it primarily affects critically ill patients, helping to reduce panic.
   
   
2. Public health communication can literally save lives. The fungal meningitis outbreak demonstrated how vital media outreach and consistent messaging were when direct contact wasn't possible. This reinforced the need for clear, timely communication to effectively reach those who need it most. As Martinez put it: 
   

“Communication saves lives.”