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Although only known since 2009, the often multidrug-resistant yeast Candida auris challenges hygiene experts around the world. The pathogen can trigger infections that are hard to treat; ill and immunosuppressed patients are at particular risk. The US federal agency CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) explicitly warns against this yeast, since it is resistant to many common antifungal drugs (e.g. fluconazole) and is difficult to detect by standard laboratory methods [1]. Among other things, this was a reason for the WHO to classify C. auris in the ‘critical group’ of fungal pathogens in 2022 [2]. Existing data suggests that in hospitals C. auris may spread in patterns that are similar to those of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) [3]. For prevention of transmission and outbreak it is therefore important to correctly identify C. auris and to apply targeted hygiene measures.
Symptoms and clinical picture
C. auris may elicit ear, surgical site and urinary tract infections. If the yeast enters the bloodstream, also fatal bloodstream infections can occur.
Transmission route: contact infection
Transmission of C. auris occurs through direct contact with contaminated persons or through indirect contact with contaminated objects. Medical devices, objects, and surfaces in the direct patient environment play special role [4]. C. auris is a particularly environmentally stable yeast: on inanimate surfaces, the pathogen can survive for up to seven days – maybe even longer.
Infection control measures in case of C. auris
- Contact isolation
Patients with C. auris should be isolated to contain a spread of the fungus. If possible, the number of employees having contact to the isolated patient should be reduced to a minimum. - Hand hygiene in case of C. auris
When taking care of patients with C. auris, particular attention should be paid to the hygienic hand disinfection. The 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene apply here.
When treating isolated patients, employees should additionally use gloves and avoid touching surfaces outside the patient surroundings with the gloved hands. Please note: gloves do not replace hand disinfection. The hands must therefore undergo hygienic hand disinfection before donning and after having removed the gloves.
