Cinnaminson, New Jersey, August 18th, 2022
Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant microorganism that was first identified in 2009 in Asia. It has quickly become a cause of severe infections around the world according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The agency listed C. auris as a concerning drug-resistant fungus because it is:
- Often multidrug-resistant, with some strains resistant to all three available classes of antifungals
- Can cause outbreaks in healthcare facilities
- Some common healthcare disinfectants are less effective at eliminating it
- Can be carried on patients’ skin without causing infection, allowing spread to others
While the risk of
C. auris infection in otherwise healthy people is low, in some hospitalized patients with a weakened immune system it can cause wound infections, ear infections and bloodstream infections which can spread throughout the body. These invasive infections can be serious and fatal. It has also been isolated from respiratory and urine specimens, but it is unclear if it causes infections in the lung or bladder according to the CDC.
“
C. auris, along with
C. diff, MRSA and a number of other drug-resistant microorganisms can be spread in healthcare settings through contact with contaminated environmental surfaces or equipment, or from person to person,” said Jason Dobranic, Ph.D., Vice President of Microbiology and Life Sciences at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “With regards to
C. auris, CDC warns that patients and residents in healthcare facilities often remain colonized with
C. auris for many months, perhaps indefinitely, even after acute infection has been treated and resolves. These are reasons why extended stays in healthcare settings, such as hospitals, nursing homes and long-term care facilities, can increase one’s risk of getting a healthcare-associated infection.”
To help prevent the spread of superbugs, the scientists at EMSL Analytical provide advanced laboratory testing services to support infection control efforts, confirm disinfection procedures and to help track down the source of an outbreak if one has already occurred. Their laboratories in the United States and Canada offer environmental testing services for
C. auris and a wide range of other bacteria, fungi and viruses. Environmental testing for these microbial pathogens can be essential for protecting patients, staff and controlling medical costs.
EMSL recently sponsored an educational video about
C. auris that can be seen at:
https://youtu.be/JGpL7VmKezg To learn more about environmental testing for
C. auris or other microbial testing services, please visit
www.EMSL.com, call (800) 220-3675 or email
info@EMSL.com.
About EMSL Analytical, Inc.