Candida auris: An Overview of the Emerging Drug-Resistant Fungal Infection

What is it about?

Unlike other Candida species, C. auris is challenging to diagnose using standard laboratory methods and is typically prone to misidentification, resulting in inappropriate management. Consequently, C. auris infections have spread globally. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data showed that clinical cases of C. auris increased from 329 in 2018 to 1,012 in 2021. The incidence and prevalence of this invasive fungal infection are high in immunocompromised and hospitalized patients. Patients who had an organ transplant, are on immunosuppressive agents, are diabetic, have recent antibiotic use, have catheter use, and prolonged hospital or nursing homestays are vulnerable to C. auris infections.

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Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Candida auris is an invasive fungal pathogen that has been recognized globally as a serious health threat due to its extensive innate and acquired resistance to antifungal drugs. A growing number of emerging cases of C. auris have been reported with resistance to the standard antifungal treatments including azoles, echinocandins, and polyenes, making it difficult to treat.

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