Candida Auris

147 cases in 2024 — 1.6× the 5-year baseline of ~90. Above baseline.

What is it?

Candida auris (C. auris) is an emerging multidrug-resistant yeast that spreads in healthcare settings and causes invasive infections with high mortality. NYS had 147 cases in 2024 (excluding NYC). C. auris is concerning because it is often resistant to multiple antifungal drugs, can persist on surfaces and equipment for weeks, and is difficult to identify with standard laboratory methods. It predominantly affects patients in long-term care facilities and intensive care units.

How it spreads

Spreads in healthcare settings through contact with contaminated surfaces, equipment, and healthcare worker hands. Patients colonized with C. auris can spread it to others even without active infection. Strict contact precautions and specialized environmental cleaning are required to control spread.

Symptoms

C. auris can colonize the skin, ear, and other sites without causing illness. Invasive infections cause fever and chills that do not improve with standard antifungal treatment, bloodstream infections, wound infections, and ear infections in high-risk patients.

Who is at risk?

Patients in long-term care facilities, ICUs, and other healthcare settings, especially those who are seriously ill, on ventilators, receiving IV nutrition or fluids through central lines, or on broad-spectrum antibiotics or antifungal medications.

What you can do

Based on NYSDOH annual communicable disease report. Threat level reflects 2024 case counts compared to the 5-year baseline.