Learning About Candida Auris Infections

What is a Candida auris infection?

Candida auris (also called C. auris) is a fungus in the yeast family that can cause an infection in blood, tissues, or wounds.

The infection can be serious and even fatal. It's hard to treat because commonly used antifungal medicines often don't work.

C. auris is most often found in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) of hospitals. It mostly affects people who already have one or more serious illnesses or a weakened immune system or who have frequent stays in a hospital, ICU, or nursing home.

Some people carry C. auris on their skin, but they don't get sick. But they can pass the fungus to others who are more likely to get a serious infection.

C. auris spreads from one person to another through touch. It can also be spread when you touch something that has the fungus on it.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of a Candida auris infection depend on whether it occurs in the blood, the ear, a wound, or some other part of the body. The most common symptoms are a fever and chills that don't get better when treated with medicines that fight infections. Since most people with a C. auris infection are already sick, it may be hard to tell which symptoms are caused by C. auris.

How is it diagnosed?

If a Candida auris infection is suspected, your doctor may take a sample of blood, urine, a wound, or other body fluid such as cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). The sample is sent to the lab for testing.

A person may not be sick but may carry C. auris on their skin. The doctor may wipe the skin with a swab and send the swab to the lab.

How is it treated?

A Candida auris infection is treated with antifungal medicines. Your doctor will use test results to see which medicine will work best. C. auris infections often don't respond well to just one medicine. In that case, your doctor may give you high doses of more than one antifungal.

If you have C. auris on your skin but aren't sick, you probably won't get treated. But if you are in a hospital or a nursing home, the staff may take steps to keep you from spreading C. auris to others.

How can you prevent the spread of the infection to others?

You, your doctor, the hospital staff, and your visitors all play a part in keeping the infection from spreading to others.

Isolation.

Your doctor may want to keep you away from other people in the hospital. You may be in a special hospital room, called an isolation room. Visitors may be limited to prevent the C. auris fungus from being carried outside your room.

Hand-washing.

Everyone who comes in the room must wash their hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer both before and after the visit. This helps stop the fungus from spreading. When you wash your hands:

• Use running water and soap.
• Rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds.
• Pay special attention to your wrists, the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your fingernails.
• Don't touch the faucet with your hand. Use a paper towel to turn off the water.

Gloves and gown.

Visitors and caregivers may have to use disposable gloves and a gown over their clothes. This helps prevent the fungus from spreading.