Candida auris candidemia an emerging threat: A case report and mini review of the literature

Abstract

Candida auris (C. auris) is a multidrug-resistant emerging fungal pathogen, which spreads rapidly in health-care settings and has the potential to cause nosocomial outbreaks. The lack of awareness among clinicians and challenges faced for its diagnosis in microbiology laboratories may adversely affect patient outcome. It is resistant to most of the commonly used antifungals for empiric treatment in critical care units. Hence, appropriate identification and antifungal susceptibility-guided treatment can contain infections caused by this organism. Hospital infection prevention and control measures must be in place to prevent nosocomial transmission. We report one such case of bloodstream infection by C. auris in a patient with multiple underlying risk factors and morbid obesity, who succumbed to florid sepsis after prolonged hospitalization in spite of aggressive medical management.

Keywords

• candida auris candidemia
• fluconazole resistance
• nosocomial transmission
• nucleic acid sequencing