A deadly fungus outbreak has been confirmed in Washington. What to know about C. auris
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people visited health centers and hospitals looking for a diagnosis. During this time, there was a noticeable surge in Candida auris (C. auris) cases across the country.
While cases slowed down as the pandemic ended, Washington state has just confirmed its first outbreak of C. auris cases in the state. There must be four or more cases to be considered an outbreak; in July 2023 there was one case in King County.
C. auris is a fungus that can cause infection in various parts of the body. It may seem similar to bacteria infections, but can be particularly harmful to people with underlying medical conditions. There are no commonly seen symptoms, so screening for the infection has increased in certain areas.
With outbreaks connected to healthcare on the rise in the past several years, positive cases must be reported to local health jurisdictions, then the state Department of Health.
What to know about C. auris
The fungus can cause severe illness and easily spreads in healthcare facilities. There is an additional risk for anyone with medical devices like catheters, breathing tubes, feeding tubes and ventilators.
Symptoms depend on the location and severity of the infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infections can occur in the bloodstream, in open wounds and in specific parts of the body like the ears. Although there isn’t a common set of symptoms specific to C. auris, symptoms may be similar to symptoms of a bacterial infection.
C. auris can also be spread by people who are not infected, through a process called colonization. It can be transmitted from one person’s skin to another person or other surfaces. Testing can be done to determine colonization and infection status.
According to the CDC, healthcare providers use these two methods to test for colonization and infections:
Colonization screening– a healthcare provider swabs the patient’s skin by rubbing a swab near the armpits and groin and sends the swab to a laboratory for testing.
Clinical specimen testing– if a patient is showing symptoms of an infection of unknown cause, a healthcare provider may collect a clinical sample, like blood or urine. They usually test for many types of infections including those caused by bacteria and the results may show that the patient has C. auris.
Generally, the infection is not a threat to healthy people, though visitors should sanitize their hands before and after seeing someone with C. auris. Special precautions are taken by healthcare professionals when a diagnosis is confirmed, including special disinfectant, separate rooms and more.
C. auris is resistant to medication. Several antifungal treatments or even newer antifungals are often used to treat the infection caused by C. auris.
Washington C. auris outbreak 2024
The public health department of Seattle and King County was informed of a C. auris case in a patient at Kindred Hospital Seattle on Jan. 10. Further screening revealed two additional cases 12 days later, according to the press release.
A fourth case connected to Kindred was reported Jan. 26, marking the first known outbreak in the state. These additional patients were tested upon admission to the hospital and were initially negative for C. auris.
Kindred is reportedly working with the health department to limit the spread.
This story was originally published January 31, 2024 at 1:40 PM with the headline "A deadly fungus outbreak has been confirmed in Washington. What to know about C. auris."
