Candida auris: All about the drug-resistant superbug fungus Health ConditionsHealth ConditionsAlzheimer's & DementiaAnxietyArthritisAsthma & AllergiesBreast CancerCancerCardiovascular HealthCOVID-19Dermatology & SkincareDiabetesEnvironment & SustainabilityExercise & FitnessEye HealthHeadache & MigraineHealth EquityHIV & AIDSHuman BiologyInflammatory Bowel DiseaseLeukemiaLGBTQIA+Men's HealthMental HealthMultiple Sclerosis (MS)NutritionParkinson's DiseasePsoriasisSexual HealthWomen's HealthDiscoverNewsLatest NewsOriginal SeriesMedical MythsHonest NutritionThrough My EyesNew Normal HealthPodcastsHow to understand chronic painWhat is behind vaccine hesitancy?The amazing story of hepatitis C, from discovery to cureNew directions in dementia researchCan psychedelics rewire a depressed, anxious brain?Why climate change matters for human healthToolsGeneral HealthDrugs A-ZHealth HubsHealth ToolsBMI Calculators and ChartsBlood Pressure Chart: Ranges and GuideBreast Cancer: Self-Examination GuideSleep CalculatorHealth ProductsAffordable Therapy OptionsBlood Pressure MonitorsDiabetic SuppliesFitness TrackersHome GymsGreen Cleaning ProductsHow to Shop for CBDQuizzesRA Myths vs FactsType 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood SugarAnkylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or FictionConnectAbout Medical News TodayWho We AreOur Editorial ProcessContent IntegrityConscious LanguageNewslettersSign UpFollow UsMedical News TodayHealth ConditionsDiscoverToolsConnectSubscribe What is the drug-resistant superbug fungus All about Candida aurisMedically reviewed by Alan Carter, Pharm.D. — By Beth Sissons on September 28, 2022Candida auris is a newly emerging drug-resistant fungus that has led to infections in healthcare facilities worldwide. Candida auris (C. auris) is a fungus that is resistant to common antifungal drugs. It may lead to severe infection in hospitalized people. C. auris mostly affects individuals who: have a severe illnessare frequently in healthcare facilitiesfrequently use antibiotics This article looks at what C. auris is, which drugs it is resistant to, prevention, and the outlook for people who get the infection. What is C auris Share on PinterestRosley Majid/EyeEm/Getty ImagesC. auris is a type of fungus or yeast that is a newly emerging health concern. It is multidrug-resistant, meaning it is resistant to many antifungal drugs that usually treat fungal infections. The fungus first became apparent to researchers in 2009 and has since been causing outbreaks in healthcare settings worldwide. C. auris can cause severe infections in hospitalized people, and in some cases, it can be life threatening. Why is it a problem C. auris is usually resistant to multiple types of antifungal drugs. There are currently three different classes of antifungal drugs available, and some strains of C. auris are resistant to all of these. The fungus is also difficult to identify. Regular laboratory methods are not always effective at identifying C. auris, which can lead to misidentification, making it more difficult to manage and treat. C. auris can survive for long periods on the skin and surfaces, which means it can pass more easily from person to person. Outbreaks of this fungus have occurred in healthcare facilities and can cause severe illness in hospitalized people. Invasive infections of C. auris, which affect the bloodstream, heart, or brain, can be fatal. How do people contract the infection C. auris can live on human skin for long periods and on surfaces for several weeks. It can also survive some common disinfectants within healthcare settings. This means the fungus can pass easily from person to person or through touching contaminated surfaces. People who may have the highest risk of C. auris infection include those with:long-term hospitalization or stays in healthcare facilities such as nursing homesbreathing or feeding tubes, central venous catheters, or other tubes and lines going into their bodya recent surgerydiabetesexperience of taking broad-spectrum antibiotic and antifungal medications Symptoms of C auris infection Symptoms of infection with C. auris may vary depending on the area of the infection, such as the ear, a wound, or the bloodstream. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), C. auris invasive infections usually affect people who already have an existing medical condition, which may mask symptoms of the fungal infection. The most common symptoms of a C. auris infection are fever and chills that do not get better with antibiotic treatment. Which drugs is C auris resistant to There are currently three main drug classes of antifungals, which healthcare professionals use to treat fungal infections:azoles, such as fluconazolepolyenes, such as amphotericin Bechinocandins, such as anidulafungin According to a 2021 CDC report, in the United States, around 85% of C. auris is resistant to azoles, around 33% is resistant to amphotericin B, and 1% is resistant to echinocandins. This means echinocandins are usually the first-line treatment for invasive Candida infections, including C. auris. The report also notes researchers have identified some strains of C. auris that are pan-resistant, meaning they are resistant to all three classes of antifungal drugs. Learn more about antifungal drugs. Diagnosis Currently, the only way to diagnose a C. auris infection is through laboratory testing of blood or other body fluids. However, it is difficult to detect this fungus in a laboratory with standard equipment, so laboratories require specialized equipment to identify C. auris strains. Learn about blood tests. Is it life threatening Invasive Candida infections are serious infections that can affect parts of the body, such as the:bloodstreamheartbraineyesbones According to a 2021 CDC report, C. auris present on the skin can spread and lead to invasive infections. Bloodstream infections affect 5–10% of people who carry the fungus. Invasive infections of C. auris can be life threatening. It is unclear yet whether invasive infections of this fungus are more likely to be fatal compared with other types of invasive Candida infections. According to data involving a small number of people with C. auris infections, 30–60% of these individuals have died. However, many of these people already had serious medical conditions, which increased their risk of dying. Preventing the spread Within healthcare settings, C. auris can spread through contact with contaminated surfaces or from person to person. The CDC suggests the following precautions for healthcare settings to reduce the spread of this fungus:maintain good hand hygiene practices, such as frequent handwashing and use of alcohol-based hand sanitizersplacing people with C. auris in the same section of the healthcare facility or in single roomsthorough, daily cleaning with disinfection of surfaces, rooms, and equipment in healthcare settings The CDC states that the risk of C. auris outside of healthcare facilities is low but recommends the following hygiene tips:maintain good hand hygiene, which includes regularly washing the hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizerif caring for a person with C. auris, use disposable gloves if carrying out wound care or coming into contact with bodily fluidsbefore entering a healthcare facility, a person should inform healthcare providers if they have come into contact with someone with a C. auris infection Outlook According to the CDC, although C. auris is becoming more common, it is still rare in the United States. In most cases, doctors can treat this fungal infection with echinocandins, a type of antifungal drug that strains of C. auris may have the least resistance to. If the strain of C. auris is resistant to all types of antifungals, doctors may use high doses of multiple antifungal drugs to treat the infection. C. auris infections are rare in healthy people or outside of healthcare facilities. Summary C. auris is a fungus that has recently become more common in healthcare settings. It can survive on the skin and surfaces for long periods, meaning it can spread easily within healthcare facilities. C. auris can lead to invasive infections, affecting areas of the body such as the bloodstream, brain, or heart. These infections may be life threatening in hospitalized people who have existing serious health conditions. In most cases, antifungal drugs, in particular echinocandins, can still treat C. auris infections. For highly resistant strains of the fungus, people may require treatment with high doses of multiple antifungals. Last medically reviewed on September 28, 2022Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / VirusesMRSA / Drug ResistanceDrugs 5 sourcescollapsedMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.C. auris: CDC's response to a global emerging threat. (2021). https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/solutions-initiative/stories/cdc-response-to-global-threat.htmlCandida auris. (2021). https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/candida-auris/index.htmlInvasive candidiasis. (2020). https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/candidiasis/invasive/index.htmlJackson, B. R., et al. (2019). On the origins of a species: What might explain the rise of Candida auris? https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/5/3/58/htmLyman, M., et al. (2021). Notes from the field: Transmission of pan-resistant and echinocandin-resistant Candida auris in health care facilities ― Texas and the District of Columbia, January–April 2021. (2021).https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7029a2.htmFEEDBACK:Medically reviewed by Alan Carter, Pharm.D. — By Beth Sissons on September 28, 2022 Latest newsWhat sets 'SuperAgers' apart? Their unusually large neuronsOmega-3 may provide a brain boost for people in midlifeSeasonal affective disorder (SAD): How to beat it this fall and winterCDC: Monkeypox in the US 'unlikely to be eliminated in the near future'Why are more women prone to Alzheimer's? 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