Overview
- The review reports Candida auris is now documented in at least 61 countries across six continents, with rising virulence and healthcare transmission.
- CDC data for 2025 indicate at least 7,000 infections across 27 U.S. states, with spread concentrated in hospitals and long-term care facilities.
- Researchers detail mechanisms that drive tolerance and virulence, including yeast-to-filament switching, efflux pumps, biofilm formation, and strong skin adherence.
- Standard laboratory methods often misidentify the organism, delaying appropriate antifungal therapy and infection-control measures.
- Scientists call for broader surveillance, faster diagnostics, and new countermeasures, noting three antifungal drugs in trials and ongoing work on immune and vaccine-based approaches; WHO labeled the pathogen a critical priority in 2022.