Dangerous fungus detected at Montreal-area hospital, health officials say
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MONTREAL — A dangerous fungus known for its resistance to treatment was detected earlier this month at a hospital in Longueuil, Que., on Montreal’s South Shore, health authorities said Thursday.
Since Sept. 8, officials have identified two cases involving patients carrying Candida auris at Hôpital Pierre-Boucher. Neither of them, however, have developed a dangerous yeast infection tied to the fungus. Officials said one of the patients — and their close contacts — was placed in isolation.
Regional health spokeswoman Caroline Doucet says the hospital has instructed certain staff to wear personal protective equipment, to wash their hands frequently and to employ other disinfection measures. All patients who have been in close contact with the two cases have been tested, and the hospital remains safe for users, the health agency said Thursday.
According the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Candida auris is an emerging fungus that is considered a serious global health threat because it is often resistant to multiple antifungal drugs, is difficult to identify with standard laboratory testing and can trigger outbreaks in health-care settings.
