Transmission of the multidrug-resistant fungus Candida auris to the gloves and gowns of healthcare personnel (HCP) happens on a regular basis while carrying out everyday patient care tasks, as researchers published yesterday in Open Forum Infectious Diseases. Led by researchers at the University of Maryland, the study highlights high pathogen transfer rates during daily hospital tasks, underscoring urgent infection control challenges in acute-care facilities.
Study Findings on Candida Auris Transfer Rates During Patient Care
Researchers examined interactions between healthcare personnel and patients with current or previous C. auris colonization across nine acute-care hospitals located in California, Illinois, Maryland, and New York, as detailed in the study. Investigators collected patient samples from five body sites upon enrollment. They sampled worker gloves, gowns, and room surfaces after routine care activities to track pathogen movement.
Out of 1,083 recorded interactions involving 109 colonized patients, researchers documented pathogen transfer to gloves and/or gowns in 29% of interactions overall. According to the study authors, tracking this transfer serves as a surrogate measure for overall transmission potential in acute-care settings.
Pathogen transfer varied significantly depending on staff roles and the extent of patient colonization. Nursing assistants/patient care technicians faced the highest odds of transfer, with an odds ratio of 5.2 compared to environmental services personnel. Occupational/physical therapists recorded an odds ratio of 4.8, while respiratory therapists registered 4.7.
Direct physical contact drove the risk upward. Healthcare workers who touched a patient experienced transfer rates more than three times higher than those who touched only an environmental surface. In addition, based on the study’s conclusions, patients who were colonized across all five body sites exhibited a 15-fold greater likelihood of passing C. auris to an HCP compared to individuals colonized at just one site.
Did you know? Candida auris has been labeled an urgent threat by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because it is difficult to eradicate and spreads rapidly in healthcare settings. Between 29% and 62% of patients with invasive infections succumb to the illness, and many of these individuals suffer from compromised immune systems alongside a need for sophisticated medical intervention.
Public Health Implications and Preventative Strategies
Between 29% and 62% of patients with invasive infections succumb to the illness, and many of these individuals suffer from compromised immune systems alongside a need for sophisticated medical intervention. In the United States, a total of 6,304 clinical cases were reported in 2024.
The researchers underscored that these findings point out an urgent necessity for screening protocols regarding C. auris, alongside efficient methods to halt the movement of C. auris to HCP during medical interactions and stop the spread of C. auris within medical facilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Candida auris?
Candida auris is a multidrug-resistant fungus that is difficult to eradicate and spreads rapidly in healthcare settings, with invasive infections fatal in 29% to 62% of patients, and is classified as an urgent threat by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
How often does transfer occur during routine care?
According to the Open Forum Infectious Diseases study, transmission of the fungus from patients to the gloves and gowns of healthcare personnel occurs frequently during routine patient care, with transfer found in 29% of interactions overall.
Which hospital workers face the highest transfer risk?
Nursing assistants/patient care technicians, occupational/physical therapists, and respiratory therapists face the highest odds of pathogen transfer compared to environmental services personnel.
How many clinical cases were reported in the US?
A total of 6,304 clinical cases were reported in the United States in 2024.
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