Screening for Candida auris colonisation

Method & sample types

Candida auris is a multidrug-resistant yeast that spreads readily in healthcare settings and is frequently missed or misidentified by conventional phenotypic methods. The AMD Candida auris PCR Kit targets C. auris-specific sequence directly, avoiding the misidentification risk that comes with biochemical identification panels not designed to distinguish it from closely related Candida species. Validated sample types are typically axillary/groin composite swabs for colonisation screening, alongside clinical specimens where infection rather than colonisation is suspected.

Controls & interpretation

An internal (extraction/amplification) control accompanies the C. auris-specific target on every run. Because screening is usually performed at scale, admission screening, contact screening during an outbreak, or point-prevalence surveys, consistent, unambiguous internal-control performance across a batch is what makes large screening runs practical to interpret quickly.

Workflow integration

Turnaround directly affects infection-control decision-making: same-day PCR screening allows isolation or cohorting decisions to be made well ahead of a culture-based identification, which for a multidrug-resistant organism with a track record of ward-level transmission is often the operationally decisive factor. The assay is intended as a rapid screening and surveillance tool; isolates recovered by culture remain necessary where antifungal susceptibility testing is clinically required.