<i>Candidozyma auris</i> Outbreak and Its Effective Control in a General Hospital

<i>Candidozyma auris</i> Outbreak and Its Effective Control in a General Hospital

<b>Background/Objectives:</b> <i>Candidozyma auris</i> (<i>C. auris</i>) is a multidrug-resistant pathogen recognized as a serious global public health threat. Herein, we report a <i>C. auris</i> outbreak that was successfully contained in a general ho...

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Main Authors:	Flora V. Kontopidou, Maria Antonopoulou, Anastasia Votsi, Vassiliki Papoutsaki, Vassiliki Bereri, Evangelia Kourkoulou, Amalia Rompola, Georgia Tsokou, Anna Pavli, Olga Maria Koutantelia, Maria Siopi, Sevasti Leventaki, Joseph Meletiadis, George L. Daikos
Format:	Article
Language:	English
Published:	MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:	Antibiotics
Subjects:	<i>C. auris</i> healthcare-associated infections active surveillance infection prevention and control
Online Access:	https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/6/579
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Summary:	<b>Background/Objectives:</b> <i>Candidozyma auris</i> (<i>C. auris</i>) is a multidrug-resistant pathogen recognized as a serious global public health threat. Herein, we report a <i>C. auris</i> outbreak that was successfully contained in a general hospital located in Athens, Greece. <b>Methods:</b> This study was conducted between December 2021 and December 2023. Upon identification of the first imported case of <i>C. auris</i>, the following infection control measures were applied in a stepwise approach: the promotion of hand hygiene, contact precautions and isolation, chlorhexidine gluconate bathing of patients, enhanced environmental cleaning, and active surveillance cultures of all high-risk patients upon admission. Active surveillance cultures were performed weekly in non-colonized ICU patients. <b>Results:</b> A total of 1564 screening samples from 890 patients were analyzed. Sixty-three patients were identified to be colonized and three to be infected with <i>C. auris.</i> After implementing screening and enhanced environmental cleaning, the quarterly incidence of hospital-acquired cases decreased from 0.37 to 0.04 cases per 1000 patient-days (slope of linear trend: −0.08; 95% CI: −0.16 to −0.0004; <i>p</i> = 0.05), despite the continuous inflow of already colonized patients. <b>Conclusions:</b> A bundle of infection control measures, including active surveillance cultures upon admission and enhanced environmental cleaning, can contain <i>C. auris</i> dissemination in acute healthcare settings.
ISSN:	2079-6382