New 2026 C. auris Prevention Checklist — free download for infection control teams.Get it free
Bed Shower™ for Candidozyma auris
(C. auris) Decolonization
C. auris is a multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen classified as an Urgent Threat by the CDC. It spreads primarily during high-contact caregiving activities — and a landmark 2025 study confirms that adequate CHG skin concentration (≥156 µg/mL) reduces C. auris shedding by 80%.
Traditional bed baths and wipe-based protocols fail to achieve this threshold. Bed Shower™ Wib delivers full-body CHG coverage — the only reliable method to reach and maintain the concentration required for effective C. auris decolonization in bedridden patients.
Why Traditional Bed Baths Fail Against C. auris
The Gussin 2025 study identified a critical threshold: CHG must reach ≥156 µg/mL on the skin to reduce C. auris shedding by 80%. Traditional methods consistently fall short.
Wipe-Based CHG Protocols
Fail to achieve adequate residual concentration
CHG wipes deliver inconsistent skin coverage and evaporate rapidly, leaving residual concentrations well below the 156 µg/mL threshold required for C. auris shedding reduction.
Traditional Bed Baths
Rinse away CHG before absorption
Water-based bed baths using soap and rinse remove CHG from the skin surface before adequate residual concentration can be established, negating decolonization efficacy.
Bed Shower™ Wib with CHG
Achieves and maintains ≥156 µg/mL
Full-body antiseptic showering with CHG solution delivers thorough, consistent skin coverage. The Wib system's controlled water delivery ensures adequate contact time and residual concentration for effective C. auris decolonization.
The Landmark 2025 Study:
Gussin et al., CID
Published in Clinical Infectious Diseases (Oxford University Press / IDSA), this settle-plate study by researchers at UC Irvine and UCLA provides the most direct evidence to date linking CHG skin concentration to C. auris transmission control.
The study demonstrated that C. auris shedding occurs rapidly during nursing home caregiving activities — including bed baths, repositioning, wound care, and dressing changes. These are precisely the high-contact moments that Bed Shower™ transforms from transmission events into decolonization opportunities.
When residual CHG concentrations on the skin reached ≥156 µg/mL, shedding was reduced by 80%. The study provides novel evidence that CHG-based decolonization can effectively mitigate C. auris transmission risk in long-term care — but only when adequate concentration is achieved.
"This settle plate study demonstrated rapid Candidozyma auris shedding during nursing home caregiving activities, with an 80% reduction when residual chlorhexidine gluconate concentrations ≥156 µg/mL. Findings highlight high-contact care as key transmission points and provide novel evidence that chlorhexidine-based decolonization can effectively mitigate C. auris transmission risk in long-term care."
C. auris Threatens Every Care Setting
The Gussin 2025 study was conducted in nursing home settings — but C. auris colonization affects all facilities caring for bedridden and high-acuity patients.
Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF)
Highest risk — long-term colonized residents, frequent caregiving contact
Daily CHG bathing with Wib™ for all colonized residents
Long-Term Acute Care (LTAC)
Ventilated and device-dependent patients with prolonged stays
Wib™ enables CHG bathing without transport or disconnection risk
Intensive Care Units (ICU)
Immunocompromised patients with highest mortality risk from C. auris BSI
Universal decolonization protocol with Wib™ CHG bathing
Acute Care Hospitals
Rapid spread during caregiving; environmental contamination of rooms
Wib™ automatic disinfection cycle prevents cross-contamination
Rehabilitation Facilities
Patients transferred from high-prevalence facilities carry colonization
Admission CHG bathing protocol with Wib™ on day 1
Nursing Homes / Memory Care
Dementia patients cannot self-report symptoms; high caregiving contact
Wibby™ portable system for facilities without hospital plumbing
Download the C. auris Clinical Summary
Access the Gussin 2025 study findings, the clinical rationale for in-bed CHG showering, and a facility implementation checklist — formatted for sharing with your infection control committee.
C. auris & CHG Bathing: Common Questions
What is Candidozyma auris (C. auris) and why is it classified as an Urgent Threat?
Candidozyma auris (formerly Candida auris) is a multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen first identified in 2009. The CDC classifies it as an Urgent Threat because it is resistant to multiple antifungal drugs, spreads easily in healthcare settings, causes serious infections with 30–60% mortality in bloodstream infections, and is difficult to identify with standard laboratory methods.
How does C. auris spread in healthcare facilities?
C. auris spreads primarily through contact with colonized patients and contaminated surfaces. The Gussin 2025 study demonstrated that shedding occurs most rapidly during high-contact caregiving activities — bed baths, repositioning, wound care, and dressing changes. Colonized patients can shed C. auris for months, contaminating their environment and putting other patients at risk.
Why does CHG bathing need to reach ≥156 µg/mL to be effective against C. auris?
C. auris has a higher minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for CHG compared to bacterial pathogens like MRSA. The Gussin 2025 study established that residual CHG skin concentrations must reach ≥156 µg/mL to achieve an 80% reduction in C. auris shedding. This threshold is significantly higher than what wipe-based protocols or traditional bed baths can reliably deliver.
How does Bed Shower™ Wib achieve the required CHG concentration?
Wib™ delivers a full-body shower using CHG antiseptic solution, ensuring thorough coverage of all skin surfaces including folds, wound-adjacent areas, and high-shedding zones. The controlled water delivery and contact time allow CHG to penetrate and bind to skin proteins, establishing the residual concentration required for C. auris decolonization — something wipes and traditional bed baths cannot consistently achieve.
Which facilities should prioritize C. auris decolonization with Bed Shower™?
Facilities with the highest C. auris risk include SNFs receiving transfers from hospitals with known C. auris cases, LTACs with ventilated or device-dependent patients, ICUs with immunocompromised patients, and any facility in a geographic region with documented C. auris prevalence. The CDC recommends enhanced barrier precautions and decolonization for all known C. auris colonized patients.
Is Bed Shower™ Wib compatible with 2% CHG antiseptic solutions?
Yes. Bed Shower™ Wib is fully compatible with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) antiseptic bathing solutions. The system's materials are tested for compatibility with antiseptic agents, and the automatic internal disinfection cycle ensures the system itself remains free of C. auris contamination between patient uses.
Is Your Facility Protected Against C. auris?
Schedule a clinical demonstration with our infection control specialists. We'll show you how Bed Shower™ Wib integrates with your C. auris decolonization protocol and help you achieve the CHG skin concentrations the evidence demands.
Reference: Gussin GM, Singh RD, Kleinman K, et al. Can Chlorhexidine Bathing Reduce Candidozyma auris Shedding? Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2025. DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaf704. PMID: 41468150.