Reviewed by Shipra Gupta, MD, MS, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore
Bottomline- A 5-day twice-daily nasal iodophor regimen modestly reduced Candida auris nasal bioburden in nursing home residents, with about half showing reduced nasal carriage bioburden and 19% achieving temporary clearance.
A prospective cohort study of 27 nursing home residents with Candida auris nasal carriage found that a 5-day course of twice-daily 10% povidone-iodine nasal iodophor led to a modest but significant reduction in nasal bioburden. The effect was largely sustained four days after treatment, though not universal. Reduced response was associated with recent antibiotic and psychotropic medication use. While limited by small sample size and absence of a control group, the findings suggest nasal iodophor may have potential as a decolonization strategy for C. auris, warranting further controlled studies to assess durability, transmission impact, and clinical relevance.
Reference:
Gussin GM, et al. Nasal Iodophor to Reduce Candida auris Nasal Carriage in Nursing Home Residents. OFID 2025. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofaf650