Halton Region Public Health: Office of the Medical Officer of Health
Quick facts
- Candida auris (C. auris) has been added to the list of Diseases of Public Health Significance (DoPHS) and is reportable to the Medical Officer of Health (MOH).
- C. auris is a fungal pathogen that has low prevalence but is often multi-drug-resistant and can cause serious infections.
- C. auris is concerning in healthcare settings, especially among immunocompromised patients, as it is highly transmissible and has a high case fatality rate.
Key messages for healthcare providers
- C. auris is primarily transmitted in healthcare settings. Risk factors include prolonged hospital stays, invasive medical devices, and immunocompromised states. Overall prevalence is low.
- Clinical presentation is often non-specific and may present with fever, chills, or sepsis.
- C. auris is often misidentified as other Candida species using traditional laboratory methods. Accurate identification requires specialized laboratory techniques (e.g., MALDI-TOF, NAAT). Ensure that any suspected case of C. auris is sent to a specialized laboratory for confirmation.
- Promptly report C. auris cases to Halton Region Public Health by calling 311, no later than the next business day.
- Healthcare facilities who experience a case of C. auris are advised to implement strict infection prevention and control measures (e.g., isolation, contact precautions, hand hygiene, equipment and environmental cleaning plus disinfection), and enhanced surveillance.
- Ensure a C. auris diagnosis is communicated during any transfer of care.
Additional resources
- Ministry of Health – Appendix 1: Case Definitions and Disease Specific Information: Candida auris, January 2025 (external PDF)
- Public Health Ontario – Candida auris (external link)
- Public Health Ontario – Management of a Single New Case of Candida auris (C. auris) (PDF file)
- Public Health Ontario – Candida auris reference identification and susceptibility testing