A description of the first Candida auris-colonized individuals in New York State, 2016-2017

Candida auris (C. auris) is a globally emerging multidrug-resistant yeast. New York State (NYS) first detected C. auris in July 2016 and is the state most affected. This brief report describes characteristics of the first 114 individuals colonized with C. auris identified through active surveillance/screening by NYS Department of Health. Colonized/screened individuals were old (median age, 74 year), had extensive health care expo -sures and underlying conditions (multiple health care facility admissions in the 90 days prior with more than 80% requiring mechanical ventilation), and had 30-and 90-day mortality rates of 17.5% and 37.7%, respec-tively (with approximately 60% expired in the 2-year follow-up period). This description is helpful to inform additional prevention measures and add to the collective understanding of C. auris in the United States. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.

Automated summary

Candida auris (C. auris) is a globally emerging multidrug-resistant yeast. New York State is the most affected area in the United States. This report provides characteristics of the first 114 individuals colonized with C. auris identified through active surveillance/screening, highlighting their age, healthcare exposures, underlying conditions, and high mortality rates.