You may be wondering why you or your loved one developed invasive candidiasis. To help understand this, think about risk factors that: (1) give Candida a portal of entry to invade; (2) weaken the immune system; or (3) promote environmental spread. Most cases of Candida do not spread person-to-person or from contaminated equipment. But this does happen with the species Candida auris and occasionally with other Candida species.
GI surgery or other conditions that create a puncture in the gut
Any major surgery
IV lines or ports (e.g., central venous catheters)
Mucositis (inflammation/breaks in the mucous membranes)
Injection-drug use
Hemodialysis
Prosthetic medical devices (e.g., heart pumps)
Severe burns
Critical illness
Long-term ICU stay
Transplant
Low birth weight (in a baby)
Pancreatitis
Neutropenia (Low white blood cell count)
Diabetes mellitus
Mechanical ventilation (use of breathing machines in the ICU)
COVID-19
Broad-spectrum antibiotics (change the GI microbiome)
Many of the above factors put patients at risk for C. auris. But C. auris is also spread through the environment. Specific risks include:
Person-to-person spread
Contaminated medical equipment
Even staying in a long-term care hospital or a healthcare facility outside the United States is considered a risk factor for C. auris. See the Q/A section for more details.