Candida auris: The Recent Emergence of a Multiresistant Pathogenic Fungi

Abstract

Candida auris was first described as a new species back in 2009. Although it differs markedly from other Candida species, this species can be misidentified as other yeasts in the routine microbiology laboratories. Therefore, its identification to species level should be confirmed by reference laboratories. Candida auris exhibits potential to cause invasive infections, and frequently shows a multidrugresistance pattern, and it is associated with high mortality rates. Outbreaks caused by Candida auris and associated with health care institutions have been reported in several countries around the world, including some European countries, such as the United Kingdom and Spain. In Portugal, to our knowledge, there are no known infections or colonization cases caused by Candida auris. This species can survive in the environment for several weeks and once introduced into the hospital environment, the risk of transmission is high, requiring strict infection control measures in order to prevent transmission. This paper intends to raise the awareness of the emergence of this fungal species, as well as to discuss the consequences of this situation.