WEDNESDAY, July 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- The emerging multidrug-resistant yeast Candida auris is causing invasive healthcare-associated infections with high mortality internationally, according to a clinical alert to U.S. healthcare facilities published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC has received reports from international healthcare facilities that C. auris is causing invasive healthcare-associated infections associated with high mortality. Some C. auris strains have elevated minimum inhibitory concentrations to the three major antifungal classes.
Researchers from the CDC have developed interim recommendations for U.S. healthcare facilities and laboratories. These include reporting suspected patients with C. auris infection to state/local public health authorities and the CDC. Laboratory diagnosis should be performed using diagnostic devices based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight and/or molecular methods; specimens that cannot be identified by conventional methods should be forwarded to the CDC for further characterization. Healthcare facilities should exercise infection control for patients with C. auris colonization or infection until further information is available. As a result of anecdotal reports suggesting C. auris may persist in the environment, healthcare facilities should ensure thorough daily cleaning and disinfection of patients' rooms.
"Experience outside the United States suggests that C. auris has high potential to cause outbreaks in healthcare facilities," according to the report. "Given the occurrence of C. auris in nine countries on four continents since 2009, CDC is alerting U.S. healthcare facilities to be on the lookout for C. auris in patients."
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