Table 2. Environmental contamination with Candida auris in healthcare facilities, New York, USA, 2013–2017*.
| Category, object or surface |
No. samples |
Positive by culture, no. (%) |
Positive by PCR and negative by culture, no. (%) |
Negative by culture and PCR, no. (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Near-patient surfaces and objects in rooms | ||||
| Bedside/over bed table | 44 | 2 (5) | 2 (5) | 40 (91) |
| Bed rail | 49 | 7 (14) | 5 (10) | 37 (76) |
| TV remote/call button | 36 | 2 (6) | 2 (6) | 32 (89) |
| IV poles | 21 | 5 (24) | 1 (5) | 15 (71) |
| Bed | 17 | 4 (24) | 0 | 13 (77) |
| Privacy curtain | 6 | 2 (33) | 0 | 4 (67) |
| Miscellaneous other† | 5 | 0 | 1 (20) | 4 (80) |
| Total | 178 | 22 (12) | 11 (6) | 145 (82) |
| Other surfaces and objects in rooms | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Door knob/handle | 36 | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 34 (94) |
| Sink | 27 | 1 (4) | 2 (7) | 24 (89) |
| Window | 22 | 3 (14) | 1 (5) | 18 (82) |
| Floor | 17 | 4 (24) | 0 | 13 (77) |
| Furniture | 27 | 3 (11) | 0 | 24 (89) |
| Window curtain | 11 | 3 (27) | 0 | 8 (73) |
| Light switch | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 (100) |
| Closet | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 (100) |
| Wall | 4 | 1 (25) | 0 | 3 (75) |
| Bathroom | 4 | 1 (25) | 0 | 3 (75) |
| Countertop | 4 | 1 (25) | 0 | 3 (75) |
| Toilet | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 (100) |
| Miscellaneous other‡ | 16 | 2 (13) | 0 | 14 (88) |
| Total | 187 | 20 (21) | 4 (2) | 163 (87) |
| Equipment in room | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ventilator/respiratory equipment | 12 | 1 (8) | 0 | 11 (92) |
| Pump | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 (100) |
| Miscellaneous other§ | 19 | 4 (21) | 0 | 15 (79) |
| Total | 35 | 5 (14) | 0 | 30 (86) |
| Equipment outside of room | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clean supply cart | 51 | 1 (2) | 0 | 50 (98) |
| Ventilator/respiratory equipment | 45 | 1 (2) | 0 | 44 (98) |
| Vital sign machine | 21 | 3 (14) | 1 (5) | 17 (81) |
| Normothermia system (e.g., Bair hugger) | 20 | 1 (5) | 0 | 19 (95) |
| Computer workstation | 20 | 0 | 0 | 20 (100) |
| Thermometer | 14 | 1 (7) | 1 (7) | 12 (86) |
| PPE/isolation cart/box | 12 | 1 (8) | 1 (8) | 10 (83) |
| Lift/scale | 11 | 2 (18) | 0 | 9 (82) |
| Glucometer | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 (100) |
| Housekeeping cart | 9 | 0 | 1 (11) | 8 (89) |
| Dialysis equipment | 7 | 1 (14) | 0 | 6 (86) |
| Suction canister | 6 | 1 (17) | 0 | 5 (83) |
| Ultrasonography equipment | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 (100) |
| Miscellaneous other¶ | 29 | 1 (3) | 0 | 28 (97) |
| Total | 260 | 13 (5) | 4 (2) | 243 (94) |
*A total of 660 samples were collected from surfaces, objects, and equipment in the rooms of C. auris case-patients and from mobile equipment outside the rooms on the affected nursing units. In addition, 62 samples from surfaces within the nursing units but outside the patient rooms and 23 samples from outside the affected nursing units were negative by culture and PCR. The location of 36 samples could not be ascertained; 2 were positive by culture. PPE, personal protective equipment; TV, television. †PCR positive from light cord. ‡Cultures positive from handrail and phone. §Cultures positive from glucometers (n = 2), vital signs machine, and stretcher. ¶Culture positive from bedpan flusher.