Is routine screening for Candida auris necessary in ICU?

Area of Science:

• Medical Mycology
• Infectious Diseases
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Candida auris poses a significant threat due to invasive infections, multidrug resistance, and healthcare-associated outbreaks.
• Estimating the prevalence of C. auris colonization and identifying risk factors for Candida spp. colonization in intensive care units (ICUs) is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of Candida auris colonization in ICU patients.
• To identify risk factors associated with Candida spp. colonization in this patient population.

Main Methods:

• Axillary and groin swabs were collected from 229 ICU-admitted patients.
• Samples were cultured on CHROMagar Candida Plus medium and confirmed using VITEK-2 for Candida auris identification.

Main Results:

• Only one patient (0.4%) was colonized with Candida auris.
• Overall, 20.5% of patients were colonized with Candida spp., with Candida parapsilosis being the most common.
• Antibiotic use and cerebrovascular accident were identified as independent risk factors for Candida colonization.

Conclusions:

• Universal screening for Candida auris in all patients is not cost-effective due to its low prevalence in this ICU.
• A modified screening strategy based on identified risk factors is proposed as a more ideal approach for surveillance.