What is Candida auris?
Candida auris was first identified in humans in 2009, in the ear of a woman in Japan. Since then, outbreaks have occurred in various places around the world, including the United States, India, Spain, Greece, Germany and the Netherlands. There have also been outbreaks in several countries in Africa.
The most common symptoms of an infection are fever and chills. If the fungus enters the bloodstream, it can become life-threatening. Nerves and organs can be damaged, blood poisoning can occur, and the patient can die as a result.
Outbreaks of the fungal infection occur in hospitals. The diagnosis is difficult to make because patients are already ill or weakened. Treatment is difficult because there is high resistance to existing drugs. Prevention is therefore important.
