candida aurisit is a fungus which stands out for its resistance to the main classes of antifungals used in the treatment of infections by this type of yeast. It is responsible for nosocomial infections that can be fatal, representing a major threat to public health.
The fungus was first described in 2009, after analysis of material obtained from the ear canal of a patient in Japan, hence the name auris, which means “ear” in Latin. The fungus, however, is not restricted to this part of the body, and can cause infection bloodstream and other invasive infections. Due to being a multidrug resistant pathogen, the treatment of the infection is limited and involves different antifungals in high doses.
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Summary about candida auris
candida auris it is a multiresistant fungus.
Its infection can be fatal.
It was first identified in the ear canal of a patient in Japan in 2009, hence the name auris.
May cause invasive infections.
It can be confused with other species of yeast, which makes it difficult to identify.
Due to resistance to different antifungals, its treatment is not always an easy task, which leads to high mortality.
What is it candida auris?
candida auris is yeast, first described in 2009, and its most striking characteristic is its multidrug resistance as a pathogen. W. auris it is resistant to the drugs most commonly used to treat infections of this genus, which makes it a major threat to health. In addition to being multiresistant, the fungus is responsible for outbreaks in health services, which causes financial losses and, above all, puts the lives of patients at risk.
the fungus candida auris can remain viable for a long time in the environment. Furthermore, it is resistant to different disinfectants, which makes it difficult to properly clean contaminated environments, thus favoring the infection of other people.
The fungus was first identified in 2009 in Japan. At the time, the species was observed in material taken from the external auditory canal, hence the name auris, “ear” in Latin. Although it was initially identified in the ear canal, the fungus can occur in other parts of the body and even affect the bloodstream. In the latter case, the infection could potentially be dangerous.
It is estimated that between 30% and 60% of patients with bloodstream infection caused by this species of fungus progressed to death. It is worth mentioning, however, that some of the people with this infection who died had serious illnesses that may have contributed to this.
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Risk factors for infection by candida auris
According to Technical Note GVIMS/GGTES/Anvisa No. 11/2020, are risk factors for infection by candida auris:
hospitalization in long-term institutions for the elderly and hospitals, mainly in intensive care units (ICU);
use of central venous catheter or other invasive medical devices (enteral feeding tubes or tubes for mechanical ventilation);
recent surgery;
diabetes;
use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials or antifungals.
Diagnosis of candida auris
The diagnosis of candida auris it's just performed through laboratory tests specific, and the correct identification requires the execution of molecular methods. This is because the species resembles other yeasts and some microbial identification equipment is not capable of correctly identifying it. Due to difficult identification, it is possible that more cases exist worldwide, but that the correct diagnosis is not being made.
Although the fungus was described in 2009, the first cases of candida auris in Brazil were only confirmed during the coronavirus pandemic. Covid-19. The first positive case was notified to Anvisa on December 7, 2020. At the time, the fungus was identified in a catheter tip sample from a patient admitted to an ICU in Bahia. This was the first case of the first outbreak of the infection in Brazil, which had 15 cases, which resulted in two deaths.
The second outbreak occurred in December 2021, also in Bahia, with only one case. On January 3, 2022, Anvisa was notified of two cases in patients at a hospital in Pernambuco. These cases represented the third outbreak of Candida auris.
Treatment of candida auris
As mentioned, candida auris stands out for being a multiresistant pathogen, with an increasing increase in resistance to the three main classes of antifungals (azoles, echinocandins, and polyenes). Because of this resistance, the treatment for the infection becomes very limited, requiring the use of different medications and high doses of antifungals.
By Vanessa Sardinha dos Santos
Biology teacher
