CDC and Florida Health Department researchers found seven risk factors that can lead to clinical Candida auris cases.
The study, published Oct. 2 in Clinical Infectious Diseases, analyzed patients in Florida healthcare facilities that had C. auris infections after prior colonization from January 2019 through December 2023. Researchers reviewed 1,073 patient records and identified 105 patients with documented clinical specimens after colonization and 578 patients with colonization only.
Researchers found several factors that were significantly associated with progression to clinical cases:
- Five or more comorbid conditions
- Four or more invasive devices
- Three or more recent medical procedures
- Fully dependent care required for eating
- Limited mobility
- Inability to transfer
- Being in the 50- to 64-year-old age group
Identifying these risk factors in clinical progression of C. auris after colonization could help facilities implement efficient testing protocols and infection control measures, the study authors said. They encouraged healthcare facilities to prioritize high-acuity patients for early C. auris screening, transmission-based precautions and infection interventions.
