Candida Auris Symptoms: What to Know
Candida auris symptoms are often nonspecific, meaning they do not form a distinct pattern that clearly separates this fungal infection from other illnesses. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms depend on where the infection occurs and how severe it is. Fever and chills can occur, particularly with invasive infections, but these symptoms can also be caused by many other conditions. There is no single symptom or combination of symptoms that can confirm a Candida auris infection on its own.
Candida auris (C. auris), also known as Candidozyma auris, is a type of yeast that can cause serious infections, particularly in people with significant healthcare-related risk factors. It is particularly associated with healthcare settings, where it can spread among patients and persist on surfaces and medical equipment.
The key point for readers is that symptoms alone cannot diagnose C. auris. Laboratory testing and evaluation by a healthcare professional are needed when an infection is suspected.
What Are the Symptoms of Candida Auris?
There is no defined symptom checklist that is unique to C. auris. Symptoms depend on the infection site and severity.
Fever and chills are among the symptoms that may occur with C. auris infection, especially when the infection involves the bloodstream. However, fever and chills are common signs of many bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, so they cannot be used to identify C. auris by themselves.
C. auris can also be present on the skin or other parts of the body without causing symptoms. This state is known as colonization and is different from an active infection. CDC guidance on C. auris explains how screening can identify colonized patients who may not have symptoms.
Candida Auris Symptoms by Infection Site
C. auris can affect different parts of the body, and symptoms vary according to the site involved.
Bloodstream Infection
A bloodstream infection can cause fever and chills and may become serious or life-threatening, particularly in people who are already critically ill or have significant underlying medical conditions. Because these symptoms overlap with other infections, laboratory testing is necessary to determine the cause.
Wound Infection
C. auris can infect wounds or surgical sites, particularly among people receiving prolonged or complex healthcare. Symptoms may resemble those of other wound infections, such as worsening local inflammation or other signs of infection. No symptom pattern specifically identifies C. auris at a wound site.
Ear Infection
C. auris can also cause ear infections. Symptoms can overlap with those caused by other organisms, so laboratory testing may be required when C. auris is suspected.
Other Invasive Infections
In seriously ill patients, C. auris can cause invasive infections beyond the bloodstream. Symptoms vary according to the affected site.
The important distinction is that symptoms can suggest an infection, but they cannot determine whether the cause is C. auris, another Candida species, a bacterium or another organism.
Can You Have Candida Auris Without Symptoms?
Yes. A person can carry C. auris on the skin or other body areas without having symptoms. Healthcare professionals refer to this as colonization.
Colonized patients are not necessarily sick from C. auris, but they can still spread the organism to surfaces, equipment, and other patients. This is one reason screening and infection-control measures are important in healthcare facilities.
Colonization can also persist for a long period. The CDC states that C. auris can remain on a patient’s skin or body sites for a prolonged period, and there is currently no specific intervention known to reliably eliminate colonization. CDC infection-control guidance provides additional information about colonization and infection-control precautions.
Who Is at Higher Risk?
C. auris primarily affects people who are already seriously ill or who have substantial exposure to healthcare environments. The CDC identifies invasive medical devices and complex medical care as important risk factors.
Risk factors can include:
- Breathing tubes or mechanical ventilation
- Feeding tubes
- Central venous catheters
- Urinary catheters
- Prolonged stays in hospitals or other healthcare facilities
- Long-term acute-care or skilled-nursing facility exposure
- Significant underlying medical conditions
- Prolonged use of antibiotics or antifungal medications
People without recognized risk factors generally do not become infected or colonized with C. auris.
How Is Candida Auris Diagnosed?
Symptoms alone cannot confirm C. auris.
Healthcare providers use laboratory testing to identify the organism from an appropriate clinical specimen. Depending on the suspected infection, this may include blood or material collected from an infected site.
Specialized laboratory methods may sometimes be necessary because C. auris can be misidentified as other yeasts by some conventional testing methods. CDC laboratory guidance provides information about C. auris testing and identification.
Colonization screening is different from diagnosing an active infection. Screening commonly involves swabbing the skin to determine whether a person is carrying C. auris without symptoms.
Is Candida Auris Dangerous?
C. auris can be dangerous, particularly when it causes invasive infection in people who are already seriously ill.
The CDC describes C. auris as capable of causing severe illness and notes that some infections can be life-threatening. Another concern is antimicrobial resistance: C. auris is often resistant to antifungal medications, and some strains are resistant to all three major classes of antifungal drugs. CDC clinical guidance provides current information on severity, diagnosis, and antifungal resistance.
The fungus is also a major healthcare infection-control concern because it can spread among patients and survive on surfaces for extended periods.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has placed Candida auris in the critical-priority group of its Fungal Priority Pathogens List, reflecting concerns about its public-health importance and antifungal resistance.
What Is the Latest Global Concern About Candida Auris?
C. auris remains an international public-health concern rather than a disease limited to one country.
The CDC continues to track C. auris cases and transmission in the United States. C. auris remains an emerging, frequently antifungal-resistant healthcare-associated pathogen.
The World Health Organization also continues to recognize C. auris as an important emerging multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen and has emphasized the need for stronger laboratory capacity, surveillance, and responses to antifungal resistance.
These developments do not mean that C. auris poses the same level of risk to everyone. The greatest concern remains among people with substantial healthcare exposure, serious underlying illness, or invasive medical devices.
When Should You Seek Medical Care?
People who are hospitalized, living in long-term or post-acute care facilities, or who have significant healthcare-related risk factors should speak with their healthcare team if they develop a new fever, chills, or other signs of worsening infection.
Patients with a known history of C. auris colonization or infection should also inform healthcare providers about that history when receiving medical care.
For people without recognized risk factors, fever alone does not indicate C. auris infection. A healthcare professional can determine whether testing or further evaluation is appropriate based on symptoms, medical history, and healthcare exposure.
Treatment
Treatment is based on whether the patient has an active clinical infection, the site and severity of infection, and laboratory susceptibility results.
For adults and children older than 2 months, the CDC recommends an echinocandin as initial therapy for C. auris infections. Patients should be monitored closely, and antifungal susceptibility testing is important because resistance to echinocandins and other antifungal classes can occur.
If an infection is resistant to echinocandins, healthcare professionals may consider other treatment options. Pan-resistant strains—those resistant to all three major antifungal classes—have also been reported, and treatment in such cases can be particularly challenging.
Importantly, the CDC does not recommend treating people who are merely colonized with C. auris and do not have signs or symptoms of clinical infection.
Treatment decisions, including medication selection and dosing, should be made by qualified healthcare professionals.
How Does Candida Auris Spread?
C. auris spreads primarily in healthcare environments.
Colonized or infected patients can contaminate nearby surfaces and objects, including bed rails, doorknobs, and shared medical equipment. Other patients can then come into contact with the organism. C. auris can survive on surfaces and objects for long periods and spread to other patients.
Transmission can therefore occur through direct contact as well as contaminated equipment and surfaces.
Because people can carry C. auris without symptoms, relying only on symptom monitoring is not enough to control its spread in healthcare facilities. Screening, appropriate precautions, hand hygiene, cleaning, and disinfection are important parts of infection-control programs.
How Can Candida Auris Be Prevented?
Prevention is primarily a healthcare infection-control responsibility.
Facilities may use measures such as:
- Screening patients who are considered at higher risk
- Using appropriate infection-control precautions for colonized or infected patients
- Cleaning and disinfecting shared medical equipment
- Maintaining careful hand hygiene
- Following facility-specific protocols for patients known to carry C. auris
- Monitoring patients and facilities when transmission is suspected
Patients with a known history of C. auris should tell new healthcare providers about that history so appropriate infection-control precautions can be considered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What are the first symptoms of Candida auris?
There is no specific set of early symptoms unique to C. auris. Fever and chills can occur, particularly with invasive infection, but they are also common symptoms of many other illnesses.
Q2. Can Candida auris cause fever and chills?
Yes. Fever and chills can occur with C. auris infection, particularly when the infection involves the bloodstream. However, these symptoms cannot confirm C. auris.
Q3. Can you have Candida auris without symptoms?
Yes. A person can be colonized with C. auris without having symptoms. Colonized people can still spread the organism in healthcare environments.
Q4. How do doctors test for Candida auris?
Doctors and laboratories use testing of an appropriate clinical specimen to identify C. auris. Separate screening tests, usually involving skin swabs, can detect colonization in people who do not have symptoms.
Q5. Can Candida auris spread from person to person?
Yes. C. auris can spread between people and through contaminated surfaces and medical equipment, particularly in healthcare settings.
Q6. Who is most at risk for serious Candida auris infection?
People who are seriously ill, have prolonged healthcare exposure, or have invasive medical devices such as central lines, breathing tubes, or feeding tubes are at increased risk.
Q7. Is Candida auris treatable?
Yes. Many clinical infections can be treated with antifungal medication, with echinocandins currently recommended as initial treatment for most adults and children older than 2 months. Resistant and pan-resistant infections can be more difficult to treat and require specialist medical management.
Q8. Is Candida auris the same as a regular yeast infection?
No. C. auris is a type of yeast, but it differs from the Candida species that commonly cause routine yeast infections. It is particularly notable for its ability to spread in healthcare settings, persist on surfaces, and develop resistance to multiple antifungal drugs.
Medical Disclaimer
This article is intended for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Anyone with concerning symptoms or significant risk factors should consult a qualified healthcare professional.
