Candida Auris: From Threat to Reality

Candida auris is a global pathogenic fungus associated with severe healthcare-associated outbreaks. This dangerous pathogen is difficult to identify using traditional biochemical methods, and some strains have been found to be resistant to all three major classes of antifungal medications.

The symptoms of Candida auris infections are nonspecific and depend on the location and severity of infection. While healthy people are not at risk from Candida auris, those with weakened immune systems or those using medical devices like ventilators or catheters can suffer severe illness or die if infected.

Recent data reveals that this dangerous fungus is on the rise, underscoring the urgent need for ongoing surveillance, expanded laboratory capacity, rapid diagnostic testing, and strict adherence to proven infection prevention and control measures.

The rapid rise of Candida auris

The first case of Candida auris, named from the Latin word ‘auris’ meaning ‘ear,’ was reported in a 70-year-old female in Japan in 2009 as an ear infection. Since then, outbreaks of this deadly infection have spread globally, now reaching alarming numbers in the U.S. Typically found in hospitals and other healthcare settings, Candida auris can live in and on the body, as well as environmentally, ultimately causing bloodstream and wound infections.

In March 2023, the CDC identified Candida auris as an “urgent antimicrobial resistance (AR) threat,” noting that the number of cases in the U.S. more than doubled from 476 to 1,471 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some theories on why Candida auris infections exploded during the pandemic included PPE shortages, overcrowding of facilities, environmental contamination, staff shortages, and increased testing for the disease.

Building a defense through standardized reporting

The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) has established clear definitions for Candida auris cases: symptomatic infections (clinical cases) and non-symptomatic presence (surveillance cases). Since 2018, clinical cases have required mandatory national reporting, with surveillance screening cases added to this requirement in 2023. When Candida auris is detected, healthcare providers and laboratories must notify their state or local health department, which then reports all cases to the CDC for national tracking.

Implementing effective Candida auris prevention strategies

Most facilities equipped to care for patients with other multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) or Clostridioides difficile can also care for patients with Candida auris infections.

The CDC recommends some basic infection control measures for the prevention and spread of Candida auris in healthcare settings:

• Standard hand hygiene practices
• Setting-based precautions, including Contact Precautions and Enhanced Barrier Precautions
• Thorough and daily environmental disinfection with EPA-approved products effective against Candida auris
• Patient and resident transfers that communicate their Candida auris status

Because patients often remain colonized with Candida auris indefinitely, the CDC recommends continued Contact and Enhanced Barrier Precautions for the entire duration of all stays, including those in long-term healthcare facilities.

How Inovalon can help

Candida auris outbreaks don’t wait — and neither should your response. Inovalon’s Infection Prevention Starter helps post-acute care teams act fast with real-time tracking, smart alerts, and interactive maps that make outbreaks easier to spot and stop.

Built for nursing homes and assisted living facilities, our software gives you the visibility and flexibility to stay ahead of emerging threats.

To learn more about how you can protect your residents by detecting Candida auris outbreaks sooner and responding faster, visit Inovalon’s  infection prevention product page.

Inovalon and design® and Inovalon® are trademarks of Inovalon, Inc.