LEXINGTON, Ky. — Five patients are being treated for Candida auris, a deadly fungal infection, at UK Chandler Hospital. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over one in three patients with invasive infections (for example, an infection that affects the blood, heart, or brain) die.

What You Need To Know

  • Candida auris is a rare fungal infection. Five cases were reported earlier this week at the UK Chandler hospital

  • Nicholas Van Sickles, interim director of infection, control and prevention at UK HealthCare, says some strains of the disease can be resistant to some antifungal medications

  • The CDC says to prevent a spread, proper contact precautions are necessary like hand-washing, cleaning equipment and sanitizing surfaces

  • UK has isolated the five patients

The CDC says Candida auris could be a potential “global health threat.”

Nicholas Van Sickles, interim director of infection, control and prevention at UK HealthCare, says some strains of the disease can be resistant to some antifungal medications.

“It’s not by default resistant to all medications. It is often resistant to one or more and can become more resistant on treatment. So just because you had an infection with it doesn’t mean all of a sudden I have no options for you,” said Van Sickels. 

It’s a disease that spreads through surfaces, and can spread commonly at medical facilities. 

Hospitals can detect it through screenings and normal observance of symptoms, like ear or wound infections. They pay particular attention to those who may be more at risk, such as people receiving invasive surgeries or those in the Intensive Care Unit.

“Anyone from a long-term acute care facility, anyone that has a tracheostomy in their neck to help with breathing, anyone that has a wound — we do surveillance for Candida auris because those people are more likely to have it on their skin and then we can isolate them and keep them safe while they’re in the hospital,” Van Sickels explained.  

Van Sickels says though they have identified the individuals at risk, there were no “active” cases of Candida auris infection at the hospital. 

But, it’s their responsibility to prevent an outbreak or critical situation.

“The reason we have it at UK is because we detected it and we protected people from it and so I hope they would extend an extra layer of safety, so if you or your loved one needs care, we are doing everything on our part to protect everyone in our hospitals from getting these pathogens,” Van Sickels said. 

Van Sickels says there are other treatments to resolve the infection and that 17 states are reporting cases of the disease.

The patients at UK Chandler Hospital have the fungus on their skin and it is not causing an active infection on any of the patients. The hospital has implemented disinfection precautions to prevent the spread of the fungus.

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