Candida auris: The recent emergence of a multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen

Abstract

Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant yeast that causes serious invasive infections with high mortality. It was first discovered in 2009, and since then, individual cases or outbreaks have been reported from over 20 countries on five continents. Controlling C. auris is challenging for several reasons: (1) it is resistant to multiple classes of antifungals, (2) it can be misidentified as other yeasts by commonly available identification methods, and (3) because of its ability to colonize patients perhaps indefinitely and persist in the healthcare environment, it can spread between patients in healthcare settings. The transmissibility and high levels of antifungal resistance that are characteristic of C. auris set it apart from most other Candida species. A robust response that involves the laboratory, clinicians, and public health agencies is needed to identify and treat infections and prevent transmission. We review the global emergence, biology, challenges with laboratory identification, drug resistance, clinical manifestations, treatment, risk factors for infection, transmission, and control of C. auris.