Screening of Candida auris upon admission to an intensive care unit in the United Arab Emirates

Background: Candida auris screening is one of the crucial components of infection prevention and control measures to curb the spread of C. auris. However, previous research has yielded various results on the effectiveness of C. auris screening according to region, type of healthcare facility, and patient group in the various levels of endemicity. We aimed to assess the clinical effectiveness of routine C. auris screening upon admission to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: This retrospective study involved 3356 ICU patients during pre-screening (N = 1658, June 2020 to November 2021) and post-screening period (N = 1698, June 2022 to November 2023). Swabs for C. auris screening were taken from axilla and groin, then cultured, and identified using either matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry or VITEK 2 YST identification card. We compared the positivity rates of C. auris during the pre- and post-screening period.

Results: Of the 1698 patients who underwent C. auris screening, only 4 (0.2 %) tested positive. The positivity rates before and after the introduction of the screening program were 2.92 cases per 1000 patient days (36/12333) and 2.36 (21/8909), respectively, without significant difference (P = 0.435). Interrupted times series analysis showed no immediate (P = 0.775) or sustained (P = 0.484) effects from the screening program. Subgroup analysis of patients in the medical ICU showed similar results.

Conclusions: Universal C. auris screening upon ICU admission identified a small number of cases. Instead, targeted screening and regular point prevalence surveys, along with other infection prevention and control measures may be employed. Further studies in various settings with diverse testing strategies are needed to establish the most effective approach for C. auris screening.