Information for Researchers and Industry Professionals
Researchers and industry professionals can make a big impact in the fight against C. auris. Because C. auris emerged so recently, we still have a lot to learn about this yeast and we need the greater medical and research community involved to figure out the best ways to stop transmission and care for patients with C. auris. The resources below are meant for researchers and industry professionals looking to advance our understanding of C. auris or expand the resources available for combating this yeast.
There is great need for the following items to combat C. auris:
- Rapid diagnostics
- New drugs
- Decolonization methods
- Registered, easy-to-use, and effective disinfectants
- Other tools or protocols for treatment and prevention
C. auris isolates are available
Researchers and industry professionals at approved institutions can obtain a panel of isolates of C. auris and other yeasts from the CDC and FDA AR Isolate Bank. Isolates are free; recipients just pay for shipping.
The C. auris panel contains 11 C. auris isolates, representing the 4 main clades. Clades and susceptibility testing results are located on AR Isolate Bank webpages. Additionally, the panel contains 10 isolates from 6 related yeast species (such as Candida haemulonii).
Scientists should practice laboratory safety whenever working with C. auris or other pathogens. Please visit the Safety Considerations When Working with Known or Suspected Isolates of Candida auris webpage for more information.
Disinfectant testing and claims
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued guidanceexternal icon and methodsexternal icon for antimicrobial efficacy testing of products against C. auris. This guidance is specifically for testing liquid antimicrobials against C. auris on hard, non-porous surfaces. To obtain a C. auris claim, a product must be tested using EPA’s methods and an application must be submitted to the EPA for review. Researchers and companies that plan to submit a claim request are encouraged to inform the EPA of that intention before submission.
Researchers and companies with disinfection products that can’t be appropriately evaluated with the MB-35-00 methodexternal icon may consider contacting the EPA to discuss appropriate testing methods.