We Are Family: Comparative Study of Candida Species and Candidozyma auris in Laundry (EN 17658) and Surface (Biofilm) Disinfection

The rising prevalence of <i>Candidozyma auris</i> and <i>Candida parapsilosis</i>, characterized by high surface persistence and biofilm-forming capabilities, challenges the efficacy of standard laundry and surface disinfection protocols. This study evaluated the effectiveness of laundry processes according to EN 17658 at 20 °C, 30 °C and 40 °C and two surface disinfectants (bead assay for biofilms) against two <i>Candida albicans</i> strains, <i>C. parapsilosis</i>, and <i>C. auris</i>. Results indicated that <i>C. auris</i> is more resilient than other strains, surviving laundry treatment with activated oxygen bleach at 40 °C; maximum efficacy required a colour powder detergent supplemented with a bleach-releasing additive at 40 °C. While alcohol- and aldehyde-based surface disinfectants were effective per EN 13697 criteria, their efficacy against biofilms-tested on glass, stainless steel, polypropylene, and PTFE-was highly dependent on both the strain and the surface material. These findings demonstrate the reduced susceptibility of <i>C. auris</i> to standard laundry disinfection and highlight that biofilm eradication is a complex process influenced by strain-specific attributes and surface characteristics.