Enablers of Candida auris persistence on medical devices and their mode of eradication

Candida auris is an emerging pathogen predominantly isolated from immunocompromised patients, hospitalized for a long time. It inhabits the skin surfaces of patients causing ear, wound, and systemic infections; when not properly treated could lead to severe mortality. Medical devices are hospital tools and components often utilized in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases associated with human skin. Apart from being a skin pathogen, C. auris colonizes the surfaces of medical devices. The mechanism of survival and persistence of C. auris on medical devices has remained unclear and is a serious concern to clinicians. The persistence of C. auris on medical devices has deterred its effective elimination,hindered the treatment of infections and increased antifungal resistance. Evidence has shown that a few surface molecules on the cell wall of C. auris and the extracellular matrix of the biofilm are responsible and exist as enablers. Due to the increased cases of ear, skin and systemic infections as well as death resulting from the spread of C. auris in hospitals, there is a need to study these enablers. This review is focused on the identification of the enablers and evaluates them in relation to their ability to induce persistence in C. auris. In order to reduce the spread or completely eliminate C. auris and its enablers in hospitals, the efficacy of disinfection and sterilization were compared.

Keywords:

Biofilm , Candida auris , enablers , medical devices , persistence