Intensive screening, infection control can contain C. auris

When Harborview detected its first case of Candidozyma auris (C. auris, also known as Candida auris), it launched an intensive screening and infection- control effort that halted the spread of the deadly fungus before it caused broad harm. 

“We knew C. auris was coming to the region and the risk of an outbreak was high at Harborview, where we have many vulnerable patients and shared spaces, so our goal was to catch it early before it caused a big problem,” said Dr. Chloe Bryson-Cahn, associate professor (Allergy and Infectious Diseases) and associate medical director of infection prevention at Harborview.  

She is co-first author of a paper published Aug. 19 in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases that describes the hospital's six-month campaign to stop the fungus.