Candida Auris
Candida Auris Playbook
To help infection preventionists quickly activate Candida auris prevention efforts, APIC’s Emerging Infectious Diseases Task Force has created a Candida auris playbook that IPs can download and customize for use in their facilities. The playbook is a concise workflow document that is designed to be user-friendly and operational for busy IPs. Access the playbook here.
About Candida Auris
- Candida auris (C. auris) is an emerging, multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen that can cause severe invasive infections, such as bloodstream, wound, and ear infections
- It was first identified in 2009 in Japan, but has since been detected in over 40 countries
- The CDC classifies C. auris as an Urgent Antimicrobial Resistance Threat, the highest level of concern, due to its ability to resist multiple antifungal drugs, spread rapidly in healthcare settings, and cause outbreaks
- C. auris is primarily spread via contact with contaminated surfaces or equipment or from person to person in healthcare settings
- The organism can persist on surfaces for weeks and is often resistant to commonly used disinfectants, making environmental control critical
- Most U.S. cases result from local transmission within or between healthcare facilities, though importation from patients who received care abroad has been documented
Symptoms are often nonspecific, such as fever and sepsis-like illness, and infections may be indistinguishable from other Candida species without laboratory testing
- Identified in 2009, C. auris has rapidly emerged as a global healthcare-associated pathogen
- In March 2023, the CDC reported that the U.S. cases tripled between 2020 and 2021, with a threefold increase in cases resistant to echinocandins, the first-line antifungal treatment
- Most outbreaks in the United States have occured in long-term acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and intensive care units
Current Situation
- Transmission remains ongoing across many states across the United States, with clusters often linked to patient transfers between facilities
Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant organism that can rapidly spread within healthcare facilities. Facilities must be prepared, which includes a plan for:
- Early identification and notification of suspected or confirmed cases
- Contact precautions and cohorting of colonized or infected patients
- Dedicated equipment and strict disinfection between uses
- Screening of high-risk admissions
- Communication during interfacility transfer to prevent cross-institutional spread
- Collaboration with public health partners for colonization screening and lab confirmation
APIC Resources and Tools
Click here to download the APIC Candida Auris Playbook
- Developed by the APIC Emerging Infectious Diseases Task Force to help infection preventionists rapidly activate Candida auris prevention efforts
- The playbook is a concise workflow document that is designed to be user-friendly and operational for busy IPs.
