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|Articles|June 11, 2018
Emerging Candida Species Found to be Capable of Causing Major Outbreaks in Health Care Facilities
Author(s)Danielle Mroz, MA
Emerging Candida species prove capable of virulent spread in health care facilities, leading to outbreaks.
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Emerging Candida species prove capable of virulent spread in health care facilities, leading to outbreaks, according to new research presented at the
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Research has shown that the incidence of these 2 pathogens is increasing, giving way to concerns they could become global health threats. As a result, an international team of investigators conducted an analysis of isolates from 5 countries (United States, Venezuela, Colombia, Guatemala, Israel) and different hospitals in Panama to determine the true danger of these pathogens.
Using whole-genome sequencing (WGS), the team analyzed a total of 28 isolates of C haemulonii from 5 countries and 47 isolates of C duobushaemulonii from 4 countries, according to the study abstract. “Multiple isolates from the same patients and strains from patients admitted to the same hospital were included to assess diversity within the same person and health care facility.” The team also collected epidemiological data on the isolates (geographic region and type or site of the infection) when the information was available.
The results of the analysis indicated that 0 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found in multiple isolates that were sampled from the same patient for both pathogens. Among the isolates from different patients across all geographic areas, “hundreds of SNPs were detected,” study authors wrote. These findings indicate independent acquisition of infection.
In 1 hospital in Panama, however, the investigators detected clonally related isolates of both pathogens that differed by <50 SNPs. This hospital had previously reported a suspected outbreak of C duobushaemulonii bloodstream infections. Indeed, the majority of the isolates from this hospital were from blood, while the majority of the global isolates were from wound infections.
According to the study authors, “These results indicate that although we are not yet seeing the widespread global emergence of C haemulonii and C duobushaemulonii both species can spread within the health care facilities and may potentially cause outbreaks.”
As Contagion® previously reported,
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