Tracking C. auris

At a glance

Clinical cases of C. auris reported to CDC have continued to increase since it was first reported in 2016. However, since 2022 the year-to-year increase has lessened compared to previous years.
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Overview

There were 4,514 new clinical cases of C. auris in the United States in 2023. The number of clinical cases has continued to increase since the first U.S. case was reported in 2016. The year-to-year changes vary for different states.

Healthcare facilities can help prevent outbreaks through early detection of cases, patient screening, and high adherence to recommended infection prevention and control practices.

Public health concern

C. auris can be multidrug-resistant and can cause life-threatening illness. It spreads easily in healthcare facilities and mostly affects people who are already very sick. People without risk factors generally do not get infected or colonized with C. auris infection.

Reported clinical case counts

In 2023, the number of reported clinical cases of C. auris increased nationally. Both the number of cases and how they change over time varies by state.

Some geographic areas continue to experience ongoing transmission, and it has spread into some new areas. However, recommended infection prevention and control strategies have been successful in preventing spread in some areas, especially when implemented before or at the first detection of C. auris cases.

About the data

State and local health departments submit clinical case count data to CDC. Cases are reported using case definitions determined by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE).

Clinical cases are those in patients with C. auris identified in a sample tested to find out the cause of an infection. The sample can be taken from either an invasive body site, such as blood or spinal fluid, or a non-invasive body site, like urine or wounds.

Screening cases are those in patients who receive a positive C. auris result from a swab collected to test for colonization.

Keep Reading Screening for C. auris

C. auris case counts displayed on this page may differ from other estimates, including those from state and local health department websites or other surveillance systems, for several reasons. For example, CDC's web page currently shows data for clinical cases only, whereas other estimates may include both clinical and screening cases. Differences in case count presentations can also result from how cases are counted, such as by case vs. specimen, reported date vs. specimen collection date, or where the patient lives vs. where the patient's sample was collected.

Public health partners

CDC collaborates with public health departments, healthcare facilities, and diagnostic laboratories.

CDC's Antimicrobial Resistance Lab Network can assist with C. auris identification and screening nationwide. Laboratories that identify C. auris should notify their state or local public health departments.

State and local public health authorities should email CandidaAuris@cdc.gov for assistance with:

  • Reporting
  • Surveillance
  • Outbreak prevention and control
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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)