Life sciences · Journal article

Pathogenicity and virulence of Candida auris.

Virulence · July 31, 2026

Expert Guidance Why this matters to you Expert discussion

A consensus or society position rather than new primary data.

AI Summary

This is a comprehensive review of C. auris epidemiology, genomics, and virulence factors, integrating surveillance data, genomic findings, and mechanistic insights from published literature. It synthesizes current understanding of multidrug resistance, skin tropism, and outbreak risk but does not provide new primary evidence or recommendations for clinical practice change.

What was studied

Narrative review. Persons with C. auris colonization or invasive infection globally; emphasis on elderly patients in nursing homes and healthcare settings.

Key findings

Over 84,000 reported cases of C. auris colonization and infection as of December 2025, in over 80 countries across all six WHO regions Invasive C. auris infections cause high mortality rates (30–60%) even with antifungal therapy C. auris clinical isolates demonstrate widespread resistance to all antifungal drug classes, including azoles, polyenes (amphotericin B), and echinocandins

Safety

Invasive C. auris infections cause high mortality rates (30–60%) even with antifungal therapy

Who this may help

Clinicians should be aware of C. auris as a high-priority multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen with high mortality, efficient skin-to-skin transmission, and outbreak risk in healthcare facilities, particularly in settings with vulnerable elderly populations. This review provides epidemiological context and mechanistic background but does not present new diagnostic, therapeutic, or prevention strategies.

Plain-language summary

This is a comprehensive narrative review synthesizing current knowledge on C. auris pathogenicity, virulence mechanisms, and clinical epidemiology rather than reporting original experimental results or clinical trials.

Study design

As stated by the source record.

MethodsNarrative review

Reported figures

Quoted from the source exactly as published.

Reported casesover 84,000

Mortality rate with antifungal therapy30–60%

Geographic distributionover 80 countries

Genome size12.1–12.7 Mb

Protein-encoding capacity5,200–5,600 proteins

Clinical bottom line

Caveats

No original experimental or clinical trial data; synthesis of published literature only
Selection criteria for cited studies and comprehensiveness of literature search not stated
Emerging clades V and VI described as 'largely susceptible' but further genomic and clinical surveillance noted as essential before firm conclusions
Text truncated; full content not provided, so additional findings or recommendations may be absent

Evidence assessment

Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.

Study design

limited

Narrative review; no primary experimental data or controlled trials presented.

Directness

moderate

Reviews published literature on C. auris virulence and pathogenicity; addresses clinical relevance.

Consistency

moderate

Synthesizes findings from surveillance, genomic, and clinical studies; no conflicting internal results noted.

Risk of bias

moderate

Relies on secondary literature; inherits biases of cited studies; selection criteria for included works not stated.

Sample adequacy

insufficient

Review article; does not conduct original sampling or analysis of primary data.

Source abstract

Candida auris (Candidozyma auris) has emerged as a multidrug‑resistant human fungal pathogen that causes infections of high morbidity and mortality. Notably, it exhibits a unique ability to grow and persist on human skin, thus leading to efficient transmission through skin-to-skin contact. As a result, C. auris poses a significant risk of outbreaks in healthcare settings, especially in nursing homes that care for elderly patients. Most concerning, C. auris clinical isolates demonstrate widespread and, in some cases, untreatable resistance to all antifungal drug classes, including azoles, polyenes (amphotericin B), and echinocandins. Consequently, invasive C. auris infections cause high mortality rates (30-60%) even with antifungal therapy. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of candidiasis caused by C. auris, discussing both host and pathogen determinants of skin colonization, as well as key challenges associated with preventing dissemination and management of disseminated fungal infections.

Follow from this

Taken from the source record, never inferred. Follow any of these and new work involving them reaches your briefing.

Trinh Phan-CanhKarl KuchlerSaskia SeiserAdelheid Elbe-BürgerManju ChauhanNeeraj Chauhan