Candida auris: An opportunistic fungal pathogen and a priority emergent threat

Candida auris is an opportunistic yeast causing infections in vulnerable patients leading to high mortality ratio. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has designated it as a pathogen of concern. The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed it in priority list of fungal pathogens. C. auris has the ability to spread very fast inside the hospital environment and cause outbreaks worldwide. It has a very high affinity toward skin colonization, especially in the areas like axilla and groin. Based on whole genome sequencing it is classified into five clades. Each clade has different geographical distribution. Often C. auris gets misidentified as other species due to its phylogenetic similarity with C. heamulonii. This can only be resolved by establishing diagnosis at molecular levels. Whole genome sequencing and polymerase chain reaction are some of the important molecular diagnostic methods for detection of C. auris. MALDI-TOF-MS is a culture based highly efficient method that is widely being used for C. auris identification. Treatment of C. auris infection depends on effective antifungal therapy, as multidrug resistance is quite common, the drug regime is decided after antifungal sensitivity testing. It is commonly treated with echinocandins and polyenes. Apart from the antifungal therapy it is also important to monitor the fungemia by performing blood cultures. A strict surveillance system can help prevent the disease. Timely screening of hospital personnel carrying the yeast can contain the spread of this organism. Newer antifungal agents are also required as the organism develops resistance very fast.