Are you aware of Candida auris - a dangerous fungus spread through hospitals?

We all go to the hospital to get treated for an illness. But sometimes, while we are in the hospital, we can get other infections. We call these hospital-acquired infections . Fungal infections are common among these. While most fungal infections can be cured, today we are talking about a new type of fungus that has recently been identified and is difficult to control with medications. That is Candida auris.

Simply put, what is Candida auris?

Candida auris, also known as C. auris, is a type of yeast that belongs to the Candida family of fungi. You may have heard of Candida. There are many types of Candida that live harmlessly on our skin, in our mouths, and in our intestines. But sometimes, when they overgrow, they can cause infections. For example, women can get vaginal yeast infections.

However, C. auris is not like other Candida species. It is a novel fungus. It was first discovered in 2009. It mainly affects people who are being treated for other medical conditions in hospitals or nursing homes.

Like other Candida species, C. auris is not normally found in healthy people. This infection is caused by exposure to the fungus from the outside. The biggest danger is that it is drug-resistant to many antifungal drugs. If the infection spreads to the bloodstream or internal organs, it can be fatal. In fact, about one in three people who develop this severe C. auris infection die .

Who is most at risk of developing this?

A healthy person in good health is very unlikely to get this infection. This is mainly a nosocomial infection. That is, it is contracted by someone who is already suffering from another illness. At that time, because their body's immunity is weak, the `C. auris` fungus can easily grow and cause the disease.

People with the following risk factors are more likely to be infected with C. auris.

Well, how does this spread?

Candida auris is mainly spread through contact .

• Person-to-person: Imagine, a hospital staff member could unknowingly have this fungus on their hands or clothes. When they care for a patient, they could infect the patient with the fungus.
• Through objects: If you touch an object that is contaminated with the C. auris fungus, you can also get it. The fungus can survive for a long time not only on hard surfaces like tables and doorknobs, but also on blood pressure cuffs, bed sheets, ventilator tubes, and other medical equipment . This is why it can spread quickly from one patient to another in a hospital or nursing home.

What are the symptoms of this?

Because C. auris infects people who already have other illnesses, it can be difficult to distinguish the exact symptoms of this infection. Symptoms depend on which part of the body is infected. These symptoms are usually similar to those of a bacterial infection or other fungal infection.

In general, the types of infections that can be caused by C. auris are:

• Bloodstream infection - The main symptoms of this are fever and chills.
• Wound infection - especially surgical or burn wounds.
• Ear infection
• Urinary tract infection
• Myocarditis - inflammation of the heart
• Meningitis - Infection of the membranes covering the brain.

Since these symptoms can also be caused by other diseases, it is only possible to say for sure whether it is a C. auris infection after medical tests.

How is this diagnosed and treated?

Diagnosis

The only way to definitively confirm a C. auris infection is to take a sample of the suspected body part (e.g., blood, urine, pus from a wound) and perform a culture test . The specific microorganism causing the infection is then identified in the laboratory.

However, there is a slight challenge here. Because this is a new fungus, existing testing methods can sometimes misidentify C. auris as another common type of Candida. If that happens, it may be too late to start the right treatment.

Treatment

Treating C. auris is challenging because, as mentioned earlier, it is resistant to many antifungal drugs.

• Currently, the most effective treatment is considered to be a class of antifungal drugs called echinocandins . Most patients recover from these drugs.
• However, some strains of C. auris are multi-drug resistant. In such cases, doctors have to combine different antifungal drugs, sometimes in very high doses. Since there is no specific treatment protocol for such cases, the doctor decides on the treatment that is best for each patient.

Most importantly: How to protect yourself from this? (Prevention)

Experts say that preventing the spread of this disease is better than treating it . If you are visiting someone in a hospital or nursing home, be aware of these things as well.

• Wash your hands often: Keep your hands clean with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. This is the most important thing.
• Keeping the environment clean: It is very important for hospital staff to properly disinfect surfaces and medical equipment in the patient's room.

If a patient is diagnosed with a C. auris infection, the hospital will take special measures to prevent the spread.

• Transferring the patient to a separate room to minimize contact with other patients.
• Medical staff caring for the patient and visitors should wear special protective gowns and gloves.
• Using a different, more powerful disinfectant than usual to clean the patient's room and equipment.
• Instruct family members and staff who interact with the patient to wash their hands thoroughly after each visit.

If you or someone in your family has any concerns or doubts about this `Candida auris` infection, please talk to your doctor or the medical staff at the hospital about it.

Candida auris, Candida auris, fungal infections, hospital infections, drug resistance, antifungals, infection prevention