Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant yeast of major concern in hospital outbreaks. Which diagnostic limitation is clinically important regarding C. auris identification?
- A Conventional biochemical identification systems (VITEK-2 YST, API 20C AUX) frequently misidentify C. auris as other Candida species (especially C. haemulonii or C. famata) ✓
- B C. auris cannot be cultured on standard Sabouraud dextrose agar
- C C. auris does not produce azole resistance and can be detected by fluconazole MIC alone
- D Gram stain shows hyphae and pseudohyphae characteristic only of C. auris
Explanation
Candida auris is a globally emerging MDR pathogen with high mortality (30–60%) in ICU patients. A critical clinical problem is misidentification: conventional biochemical identification methods (VITEK-2 YST card, API 20C AUX) frequently misidentify C. auris as C. haemulonii, C. famata, C. duobushaemulonii, or Saccharomyces cerevisiae, leading to delayed recognition of outbreaks. The gold standard for identification is MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (with updated C. auris database) or molecular sequencing (ITS region). C. auris grows well on standard media; it is remarkable for pan-resistant strains with combined azole + echinocandin + polyene resistance, and environmental persistence on surfaces. Infection control requires contact precautions and enhanced terminal cleaning.
Reference: Ananthanarayan & Paniker's Textbook of Microbiology, 11th ed.
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