Editor's Note: The 20th Shanghai International Forum for Infection Control (SIFIC) and the 8th Oriental Forum on Complex Infectious Diseases (OFCID), jointly held with the Global Chinese Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (GCSCMID) Annual Meeting, successfully took place at the Shanghai International Convention Center from July 25-27, 2024. During the event, Dr. Fan Wu from Medical School of columbia University delivered in-depth presentations on "Individual Diagnosis and Treatment of Candida auris Infections and Population-Level Prevention and Control" and "Mother-to-Child Transmission of Babesiosis - A Potentially Dangerous Blood Parasitic Disease." In an interview with "Infectious Diseases Frontier," Dr. Wu further elaborated on the global threat posed by Candida auris and the challenges in controlling Babesiosis, providing new insights and directions for the field of infection control.01 Infectious Diseases Frontier: First, could you share your impressions of attending the SIFIC conference?
Dr. Fan Wu: I am very pleased and honored to have participated in this year’s SIFIC conference. This event in the field of infection control was undoubtedly a great success. I noticed the large attendance, with over 4,000 participants. The conference not only focused on the latest advancements in hospital infection control but also deeply discussed the diagnosis and treatment of complicated infectious diseases, covering topics from management strategies to scientific research. The conference provided valuable learning and exchange opportunities for colleagues in infection control and related fields, and I personally benefited greatly. This conference was undoubtedly a significant event for the infection control, complicated infectious diseases, and clinical microbiology communities.
02 Infectious Diseases Frontier: You delivered an excellent report on Candida auris at this conference. Could you explain what kind of fungal pathogen Candida auris is and its epidemiological status in the U.S. and globally?
Dr. Fan Wu: At this conference, I focused on the topic of “Individual Diagnosis and Treatment of Candida auris Infections and Population-Level Prevention and Control.” Candida auris is a fungal pathogen first discovered in 2009 in the ear canal of a woman in Japan. Some Candida species are highly resistant to multiple drugs, making the global spread of Candida auris particularly alarming.
Candida auris poses a significant threat to public health, especially within hospital systems, in two main ways: First, the difficulty in diagnosis cannot be overlooked. Due to the limitations of current diagnostic techniques, accurately identifying this fungus in certain situations can be challenging, leading to delays or misdiagnoses. Second, its spread within hospital environments could lead to cross-infection among healthcare workers, resulting in more widespread transmission within the hospital, posing a major threat to our healthcare system. Therefore, we need to enhance our understanding of Candida auris, improve diagnostic accuracy, and implement effective control measures to ensure the safety of healthcare workers and patients.
03 Infectious Diseases Frontier: You also reported on the mother-to-child transmission of Babesiosis. Could you explain what kind of blood parasitic disease this is, and what challenges exist in its diagnosis and prevention?
Dr. Fan Wu: At this conference, I had the opportunity to introduce a case of mother-to-child transmission of Babesiosis. Babesiosis is a blood parasitic disease that, although less common than other parasitic diseases, poses a significant potential threat. Ticks are vectors for many blood parasitic diseases, including Babesiosis. In particular, we have identified the presence of these ticks in the Zhejiang region, capable of carrying and transmitting these parasites.
Babesia is typically transmitted from rodents to ticks and then through tick bites to humans or other animals. In clinical diagnosis, Babesiosis can sometimes be misdiagnosed as malaria or other blood parasitic diseases, which may lead to missed diagnoses.
Through this case, I hope to raise awareness of this parasitic disease. Babesiosis can be transmitted through blood, such as through transfusions, leading to human-to-human transmission, and it can also be transmitted from mother to child, where an infected mother can pass the parasite to her baby.
In terms of diagnosis, I hope my colleagues in clinical microbiology will place greater emphasis on blood smear diagnostics. Not every situation requires the use of costly next-generation sequencing technologies. By strengthening basic training in clinical microbiology, especially improving blood smear identification skills, we can diagnose Babesiosis more quickly and accurately, providing timely and effective treatment guidance to clinicians.
I also call on everyone to enhance learning and training in blood smears in the future. This is not only crucial for improving the accuracy of diagnosing Babesiosis but also important for differential diagnosis of other blood parasitic diseases.
