Candida Auris Infection Prevention and Control

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning about a drug-resistant strain of fungus, Candida auris (C. auris), spreading in health care facilities in the United States. The CDC identified C. auris as an urgent threat because it is often resistant to treatment with antifungal drugs and can cause severe infections with high death rates.

Although still rare in the U.S., more than 1 in 3 patients with an invasive C. auris infection die from the disease. In general, the fungus is not a threat to healthy people. People who are very sick, or who have long or frequent stays in health care facilities or a weakened immune system are at increased risk for acquiring C. auris.

People with invasive medical devices, such as catheters, breathing tubes and feeding tubes, are also more vulnerable. The fungus can cause a bloodstream infection. Fever, chills, sweats and low blood pressure are the most common symptoms of a C. auris infection. Infections have been found in patients of all ages, from preterm infants to the elderly. C. auris can live on surfaces for several weeks. It spreads in health care settings like hospitals and nursing homes through contact with contaminated surfaces or equipment or from person to person.

A laboratory test report (EN 13624) is available on request.