By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LAC DPH) reports receiving recently multiple reports of healthcare associated Candida auris (C. auris) isolates and has also identified one outbreak of C. auris in a Los Angeles County healthcare facility.
This has prompted the issuance of a health alert for healthcare practitioners discussing advice and actions to be taken.
Health officials write in a health alert:
We are seeing an increase in the number of new C. auris cases in healthcare facilities in LA County. We are also aware of an increase in cases in Orange County. MDRO such as C. auris or carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) may be spreading due to personal protective equipment (PPE) conservation strategies and other COVID-19 containment practices, particularly in long-term care facilities. Containment of MDROs among patients and residents is still a priority in the context of COVID-19 in high-risk facilities to prevent concurrent outbreaks.
C. auris has been identified from many body sites including bloodstream, urine, respiratory tract,
biliary fluid, wounds, and external ear canals. It can colonize patients for many months, persist in
the environment, and withstand many routinely used disinfectants in healthcare facilities.
First recognized in 2009, it has since been reported from over 20 countries, including the United States.
The CDC has recorded more than 1000 confirmed cases through March 2020. 43 cases were in California.
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