The number of infections with the dangerous fungus Candidozyma auris (formerly Candida auris) is rising rapidly in European hospitals. The European health agency ECDC warns that many countries — including the Netherlands — are insufficiently prepared. Its spread underlines the importance of early detection, hygiene and prevention.
What is Candidozyma auris?
This rare fungus can cause serious infections in vulnerable patients and survives for long periods on the skin and on medical equipment. People sometimes carry the fungus for years without symptoms; it may only invade when their immune system is weakened or they undergo surgery. According to RIVM, approximately 35% of patients in whom the fungus causes a bloodstream infection die, and treatment is difficult because of resistance to existing medicines.
Rapid spread, limited preparedness
Between 2013 and 2023, more than 4,000 infections were identified in Europe, with large numbers in Spain, Greece, Italy and Romania. Numbers in the Netherlands are still lower (11 reports in 2024 compared with 6 in 2023), but the trend is rising — and without mandatory reporting, the true number may be higher. Research by Erasmus University Rotterdam shows that most Dutch hospitals do not have a complete detection and control protocol; only one third have an outbreak protocol. Experts are calling for national guidelines and better monitoring.
Prevention and knowledge as the first line of defence
The spread underlines the importance of early detection, hygiene and preventive measures, as well as stronger protocols and greater attention to biosafety.
Sources: ECDC (reporting 2023–2025); RIVM (reports 2023–2024); Erasmus University Rotterdam (research into hospital protocols, 2025); AD, 11 September 2025.
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