Superbug Yeast Candida Auris
Superbug yeast Candida auris (C. Auris) is an emerging fungus (yeast) that presents a serious global health threat. It is often multidrug-resistant (MDR), meaning that it is resistant to multiple antifungal drugs commonly used to treat Candida infections, making infections with C. Auris difficult to treat.
C. Auris has been studied in particular for nearly 10 years. To date, it has been found in over 25 countries with distribution worldwide.
Patients can remain colonized with C. Auris for a long time and C. Auris can persist on surfaces in healthcare environments. This can result in spread of C. Auris between patients in healthcare facilities.
C. Auris causes severe illness in hospitalized patients, and also in people who have a central venous catheter, or other lines or tubes entering their body, or have previously received antibiotics or antifungal medications, who appear to be at highest risk of infection. In some patients, this yeast can enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body, causing serious invasive infections.