Candida auris (C. auris) is an emerging fungal pathogen that has become a growing concern for healthcare facilities around the world. Health officials are closely monitoring its spread in nursing homes, hospitals, and other healthcare settings caring for medically vulnerable patient.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 3,130 cumulative C. auris screening cases were reported in 2026 through July 18. This highlights the continued presence of C. auris in healthcare settings and the importance of effective infection prevention practices.
The CDC notes that C. auris can survive on surfaces and objects for extended periods. This highlights an often-overlooked aspect of infection control. High-touch technology should be considered when developing environmental cleaning and disinfection practices.
What Is Candida auris?
Candida auris is a type of yeast that can cause serious infections, particularly in patients who are already medically vulnerable. What makes it especially concerning is its ability to persist in healthcare environments while also developing resistance to antifungal medications.
The CDC reports that C. auris can colonize the skin and survive for weeks on fomites, including objects and surfaces that can carry infectious microorganisms. Adding to the concern, C. auris can be multidrug-resistant, meaning it may be resistant to multiple antifungal medications commonly used to treat Candida infections. Some strains have even developed resistance to all three major classes of antifungal medications, making infections particularly difficult to treat. This resistance is one reason the CDC considers C. auris an urgent public health threat.
Because C. auris can persist in the environment and be difficult to treat, infection prevention requires more than focusing on patient care areas alone. Shared equipment and frequently touched surfaces also deserve careful attention as part of a comprehensive infection control strategy.
The Overlooked Role of Shared Technology
Shared equipment, including keyboards, mice, touchscreen devices, and other technology, is used constantly throughout healthcare environments. These devices may be touched by multiple healthcare workers during a shift and can move between patients, rooms, and departments. When equipment is frequently shared, consistent cleaning and disinfection become especially important.
That challenge was highlighted during a C. auris outbreak investigated in an Illinois burn intensive care unit, CDC researchers identified inconsistent cleaning and disinfection of shared equipment among infection-control challenges. Shared equipment included bladder scanners, EKG machines, point-of-care ultrasound devices, and other mobile equipment. Earlier CDC investigations have also found C. auris contamination on surfaces and objects in healthcare facilities, including mobile equipment outside patient rooms.
The takeaway is not that technology is uniquely responsible for transmission. Rather, anything that is frequently touched or shared needs to be considered as part of a comprehensive cleaning and disinfection strategy.
Why Cleanability Matters
Cleanable technology is an important consideration when developing a comprehensive approach to environmental hygiene. High-touch and often shared equipment like traditional computer keyboards and mice can create a practical challenge for infection prevention teams. They contain openings and components that may not tolerate repeated exposure to liquids or hospital-grade disinfectants. As a result, staff may have to rely on surface wipes, protective barriers, or other methods to clean around sensitive electronics.
Seal Shield takes a different approach.
Built for Healthcare Cleaning
Seal Shield develops washable and waterproof keyboards and mice designed to withstand frequent cleaning and disinfection. Depending on the model, devices can be wiped, sprayed, submerged, or even placed in a dishwasher according to the applicable cleaning instructions. Seal Shield products are also tested for compatibility with a range of medical-grade cleaners and disinfectants.
Seal Shield also offers UV-C sanitization systems designed to support sanitization processes for portable devices and equipment. Together, these solutions give healthcare organizations more options for keeping frequently touched technology clean. They can also make it easier for healthcare teams to incorporate technology into established cleaning workflows rather than treating keyboards, mice, and other devices as difficult-to-clean exceptions.
Building a More Comprehensive Approach to Infection Prevention
C. auris demonstrates why infection prevention requires attention throughout entire healthcare environments, and not just the patient and the surfaces immediately surrounding them.
Effective environmental cleaning depends on many factors, including:
- Using disinfectants appropriate for inactivating pathogens
- Following manufacturer-recommended contact times
- Cleaning shared equipment between uses as required
- Paying attention to high-touch surfaces
- Establishing clear responsibility for equipment cleaning
- Using equipment designed to withstand repeated cleaning and disinfection
For technology that is touched frequently and shared between users, cleanability should be part of the purchasing conversation and not an afterthought.
Supporting Healthcare Teams with Cleanable Technology
Seal Shield’s mission is to make technology easier to clean in environments where hygiene matters. Our washable and waterproof keyboards and mice, along with UV-C sanitization solutions, are designed to support healthcare environments where frequent cleaning and disinfection are essential.
By combining durable technology with established cleaning and disinfection practices, healthcare organizations can take a more comprehensive approach to managing high-touch equipment and help prevent the spread of harmful illnesses such as Candida auris.
Because when infection prevention is the priority, the technology your team touches every day should not be a barrier to cleaning.
Learn More About Seal Shield
Explore Seal Shield’s washable and waterproof keyboards, mice, and UV-C sanitization solutions to find technology designed with cleanability and improved patient care in mind.
