One third of patients were colonized by Candida auris during a point-prevalence survey in a neonatal unit during an outbreak in South Africa. The sensitivity of a direct PCR for rapid colonization detection was 44% compared with culture. The infection incidence rate decreased by 85% after the survey and implementation of isolation/cohorting.
Keywords: Candida auris; South Africa; candidemia; colonization; fungal infections; fungi; neonatal unit; newborn; protracted outbreak.