About Candida auris (C. auris)

On this page:
About Candida auris
Identification
People most at risk
More about Candida auris

About Candida auris

• Candida auris is a globally emerging fungus that causes severe illness.
  • C. auris can cause bloodstream infections, wound infections, and other infections, including respiratory and urine.
• Patients can carry C. auris somewhere on the body but not have an infection or any symptoms. This is called colonization.
  • Colonized patients are at increased risk for developing infection.
• C. auris infections may not respond to some antifungal medications, making these infections difficult and sometimes impossible to treat.
• Most C. auris infections are healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
  • C. auris can be spread in health care settings due to its ability to contaminate the patient care environment and remain on surfaces for weeks to months.
  • Hand hygiene and enhanced cleaning of the environment in health care facilities is needed to stop the spread of C. auris.
  • Candida auris Information for Health Professionals
    Information including infection prevention and control guidance.

Identification

• C. auris has been identified in the United States and in numerous countries.
  • CDC: Tracking C. auris
    Up-to-date national and global case counts.
• Specific laboratory testing is needed to identify C. auris. Identification can be challenging in the clinical laboratory setting.
  • Candida auris Isolate Submission and Laboratory Testing
    Information on possible misidentification and utilizing the MDH-PHL reference lab.

People most at risk

Healthy people usually do not get invasive infections caused by Candida auris. Most people who get C. auris infections are already sick from other medical conditions. The most common symptoms of infection are fever and chills that do not improve after treatment for a suspected bacterial infection.

• Candida auris most commonly occurs in people who have:
  • Weakened immune systems
  • Frequent stays in health care settings, particularly in long-term acute care hospitals and long-term care facilities that provide ventilator care
  • Invasive medical devices such as breathing tubes, feeding tubes, and central venous catheters
  • History of taking antibiotics for long periods of time

More about Candida auris

• CDC: About C. auris
  CDC information, tracking, and resources on Candida auris.