Investigation and successful control of a Candida auris outbreak at a tertiary health care facility in Kenya

Objectives: This study aimed to conduct an epidemiological and genomic investigation of a hospital outbreak of Candida auris, and implement measures for its control.

Methods: We collected demographic and clinical data from medical records of patients with C. auris from January 2017 to June 2019 after identifying increased cases in April 2019. Point-prevalence surveys for C. auris colonisation were conducted in the critical care units (CCU). Antifungal susceptibility testing and genomic sequencing of isolates were performed. A bundle of infection prevention and control measures was instituted.

Results: Thirty-two patients with C. auris were identified. All patients had a history of CCU admission. A total of 283 screening swabs were obtained and 57 isolates of C. auris identified. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed on 48 isolates. All but two isolates were resistant to fluconazole; one isolate was also resistant to amphotericin B. Forty-one of 46 isolate genomes were clonally related and formed a distinct genetic cluster in Clade III. C. auris colonisation reduced from 42% in June 2019 to 1% in August 2019, and no new hospital-acquired colonisation was identified in the subsequent 9 months.

Conclusions: We identified a new genetic subcluster of Clade III C. auris. We also show that strict implementation of infection prevention measures can lead to substantial reductions in C. auris transmission.