What is Candida auris? 

Candida auris is a fungal (yeast-like) pathogen within the Candida genus, which has caused healthcare-associated outbreaks of serious infections on several continents. This pathogen can live on the skin, inside the human body (e.g. in the gut) or in the environment. C. auris causes serious infections such as bloodstream infections, meningitis, bone infections, burns/wound infections and urinary tract infections. C. auris infections are difficult to treat because the fungus is resistant to important antifungal medicines. Most C. auris isolates are resistant to fluconazole, an important first-line antifungal medicine. In some parts of the world (but not South Africa at present), more than 40% of isolates can be resistant to two or more major classes of antifungals. Patients with invasive C. auris infections are also at high risk of dying, with a reported in-hospital mortality of approximately 40%.