National Reference Center (NRC) for Mycosis

Important communication

Candida auris (June 2023)

​Now in Belgium, 9 patients were isolated from Candida auris (between 2016 and 2022), but in two patients, no link with a foreign hospital residence could be found, for a case at the end of 2021 and one during the first half of 2022. Before the end of 2021, it was always an imported infection. This finding, together with the reporting of an increasing number of Candida auris cases and outbreaks in other countries in Europe, requires additional vigilance for the detection and follow-up of C. auris fallen.

C. auris has an unusual ability to persist in the surrounding area and in asymptomatic patients which has contributed to outbreaks in different hospitals. In addition, this yeast is potentially multiresistant. Adequate isolation measures are important for confirmed clinical cases (see final global report Quality Control Sciensano enquête 2018/2. French and Dutch only. 

Recommendations Belgian Risk Assessment Group and National Reference Center

• Always identify yeasts from normally sterile samples at species level. In case of identification problems, isolates can be sent to the National Reference Center for Mycosis (UZ Leuven ou CHULiège).
• Send all yeasts identified as Candida auris to the NRC for confirmation of identification and sensitivity determination.
• Send all yeasts identified as Candida haemulonii or Candida pseudohaemuloniii to the NRC.
• Send all yeasts that are resistant to fluconazole (except for Candida glabrata and Candida stool) to the NRC.

Hospitals facing an outbreak of C. auris (i.e. two or more cases with a potential link in time, place, or person) are asked to involve the Outbreak Support Team (Ost). Contact can be made through the regional infection control teams.