What You Need to Know About C. Auris

There’s a new germ in town and it’s not as “sweet” as its name might imply. Candida auris, a type of yeast (a type of fungus), can cause severe illness, or even death, in hospitalized patients. This yeast, referred to as C. auris, can enter the bloodstream and spread through the body. Unfortunately, it often doesn’t respond to commonly used antifungal drugs, making it hard to treat. Learn what you need to know about C. auris so you can protect yourself.

What do you need to know about C. auris?

First and foremost, realize this is a potentially deadly fungus that is spreading throughout the US.

Here is why we should all be concerned:

• It can cause serious, hard-to-treat infections since commonly used antifungal medications often do not treat these infections.
• It can be hard to identify since the symptoms can go unnoticed in people who already have serious illnesses or health conditions.
• Identifying C. auris with standard lab methods poses challenges, which an lead to an incorrect diagnosis and improper care and treatment of those infected.
• Unlike other multi-drug resistant organisms (such as CRE and MRSA), C. auris can spread quickly in healthcare settings through person-to-person transmission or through contact with contaminated equipment.

How common is C. auris?

Unfortunately, the number of cases of C. auris is growing rapidly.

In 2022, the CDC received reports of 2,377 cases of patients receiving a positive C. auris results after being tested to determine a cause of infection. Additionally, they received reports of 5,754 cases of people receiving a positive test result of C. auris from a screening test.

How can you get C. auris?

Importantly, C. auris can spread through direct contact and is typically acquired in healthcare settings such as hospitals and nursing homes. Healthcare workers can pass it on their hands to patients by either direct contact or by contact with contaminated surfaces and equipment.

Additionally, you can become infected with C. auris if the fungus enters your body through contaminated medical equipment such as tubes, lines, or ventilators.

Who is at risk for C. auris? 

You may have a higher risk of developing a C. auris infection if you:

• Have recently spent time in nursing homes.
• Have lines and tubes that go into your body (such as breathing tubes, feeding tubes and central venous catheters).

However, other risk factors include recent surgery, diabetes, and broad-spectrum antimicrobial use.

Importantly, patients of all ages have developed these infections.

What are the signs and symptoms of C. auris?

A C. auris infection can cause severe invasive disease. Your symptoms can depend on which part of your body the yeast or fungus is affecting. Like other pathogens, C. auris can cause bloodstream infections, wound infections, and ear infections. Symptoms include fever and chills. 

Importantly, a severe infection can be fatal if affects the blood, heart, or brain. 

Unfortunately, C. auris can be hard to detect because it often happens in patients who are very ill. However, if a patient develops a fever and chills that don’t improve with a normal course of antibiotics, it might be C. auris.

If this happens to you or a loved one, ask for a C. auris test.

Some people never show signs!

To prevent the spread of germs, proper hand hygiene among medical staff must be practiced. As hard as it is to believe, many doctors and other staff members are not washing their hands regularly.

A 2014 study found that less than 1/3 of healthcare workers in an ICU (intensive care unit) always washed their hands. Why aren’t they washing their hands frequently enough? It’s likely a combination of forgetfulness and apathy.

To reduce the risk of transferring the infection among patients, those infected with C. auris should be isolated in single rooms. Additionally, staff should wear gowns and gloves when treating infected patients, and should use medical equipment dedicated to each infected patient. Thorough environmental cleaning of hospital rooms may help as well.

What can you do?

Now that you know more about C. auris, you can take steps to reduce your risk of infection:

• Practice good hand hygiene:
  • Everyone, including medical staff and patients, should wash their hands frequently. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer or wash with soap for 40-60 seconds.
  • If you don’t see a medical provider wash their hands and/or put on clean gloves before patient contact, speak up! This can be awkward, but it is important.
• Bring your own bleach-containing wipes to the hospital and use them regularly. Clean all surfaces in a hospital room that you (patient or visitor) may touch. Wipe down doorknobs, nurse call buttons, tray tables, bed rails, light switches, faucet handles, etc.
• If a doctor prescribes antibiotics, ask if you need these medications, or if the doctor is prescribing them as a precaution. Doctors sometimes prescribe antibiotics out of an excess of caution or due to standard protocols that may not apply to you (or your loved one).

Is there any good news?

Fortunately, there are many organizations working on new products to either treat or prevent bacterial infections. Learn more in The Pew Charitable Trusts report.

Learn more…

To reduce your risk of infection, read these blog posts:

• Germs in Hospitals and Doctor Offices – Watch Out!
• How to Protect Yourself from Hospital Infections.
• Why is Sepsis so Dangerous?
• How do you Get C. Diff Infections?
• Handwashing in Healthcare Could Save Your Life!
• Tips for Hospital Discharges.
• What’s Your Hospital’s Safety Record? Is Your Hospital Safe?
• Is Your Hospital Safe? Are Programs in Place to Avoid Dangerous “Never Events”?

NOTE: I updated this post on 6-8-24.