Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 7, 2026

Author Spotlight: Exploring Photodynamic Therapy with Curcumin in a Murine Model for Oral Candidiasis
06:39

Author Spotlight: Exploring Photodynamic Therapy with Curcumin in a Murine Model for Oral Candidiasis

Published on: October 27, 2023

1.4K

Repurposing Agents as Anti-Infective Therapeutics to Aid in the Treatment of Candida auris Infections

Nazary Nebeluk1,2, James B Doub1,2

  • 1The Doub Laboratory of Translational Bacterial Research, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.

Infectious Disease Reports
|December 24, 2025
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Repurposing existing agents like Ethyl Pyruvate or hypochlorous acid shows promise for treating multidrug-resistant Candida auris infections. These agents effectively inhibited planktonic growth and disrupted biofilms, offering new therapeutic avenues.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • *Candida auris* is a challenging nosocomial pathogen due to multidrug resistance and biofilm formation.
  • Limited therapeutic options and poor outcomes necessitate novel treatment strategies.
  • This study explores repurposing existing agents against *C. auris*.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of repurposed topical and systemic agents against *Candida auris*.
  • To assess the ability of these agents to disrupt established *C. auris* biofilms.
  • To identify potential new treatments for *C. auris* infections.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro susceptibility testing of six clinical *C. auris* isolates against topical (hypochlorous acid, chlorhexidine gluconate, sodium hypochlorite) and systemic (N-acetylcysteine, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, ethyl pyruvate) agents.
  • Biofilm disruption assays were performed using the six agents.
  • Electron microscopy was used to characterize biofilms.

Main Results:

  • All agents except N-acetylcysteine inhibited planktonic *C. auris* growth.
  • All six agents demonstrated statistically significant disruption of *C. auris* biofilms compared to controls.
  • Biofilm disruption was significantly greater than with normal saline or amphotericin B.

Conclusions:

  • Ethyl Pyruvate, EDTA, and hypochlorous acid show potential for treating systemic and wound *C. auris* infections, respectively.
  • Repurposing these agents offers a promising strategy against difficult-to-treat *C. auris*.
  • Further in vivo studies are required to confirm efficacy and safety.
Keywords:
Candida aurisN-acetylcysteinelavage solutionsmultidrug resistancenosocomial infections

More Related Videos

A Soluble Tetrazolium-Based Reduction Assay to Evaluate the Effect of Antibodies on Candida tropicalis Biofilms06:50

A Soluble Tetrazolium-Based Reduction Assay to Evaluate the Effect of Antibodies on Candida tropicalis Biofilms

Published on: September 16, 2022

3.5K
Quantifying the Antifungal Activity of Peptides Against Candida albicans06:45

Quantifying the Antifungal Activity of Peptides Against Candida albicans

Published on: January 13, 2023

2.8K

Related Concept Videos

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing01:28

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
457
Antimicrobial Effectiveness01:28

Antimicrobial Effectiveness

The effectiveness of antimicrobial agents depends on various factors influencing their ability to eliminate microbial populations. Larger microbial populations require more time for complete eradication, emphasizing the importance of population size analysis when evaluating antimicrobial efficacy.Microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents varies significantly. Highly resilient microorganisms include endospores, gram-negative bacteria, and non-enveloped viruses, while prions are exceptionally...
876
Chemical Agents for Microbial Control01:27

Chemical Agents for Microbial Control

Chemicals play important roles in controlling microbial growth by targeting microbial structures and functions as sanitizers, antiseptics, disinfectants, and sterilants.Alcohols are commonly used sanitizers, effectively disrupting lipid membranes, which compromises cell integrity. They are also used as antiseptics and disinfectants due to their rapid action and versatility.Phenols and their derivatives phenolics , known for denaturing proteins and disrupting cell membranes, are particularly...
709
Hand hygiene01:23

Hand hygiene

Asepsis is the practice of preventing or breaking the chain of infection. The nurse employs aseptic techniques to prevent the spread of microorganisms and reduce the risk of diseases. Hand hygiene is the cornerstone of aseptic techniques and is classified into medical and surgical asepsis. Medical asepsis includes hand hygiene and the use of gloves. Surgical asepsis, or the sterile technique, refers to practices that render and keep objects and areas free of microorganisms.
Hand washing...
5.4K
Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism01:27

Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism

Synergism is a useful mechanism where combining two or more drugs is more effective than each constituent used alone. Such combinations are also called supra-additive interactions. The drugs collectively enhance the final therapeutic effect by acting on different targets. Another advantage is that the low dose of each constituent drug is sufficient to achieve the desired effect. This helps reduce the duration of therapy and lower the adverse effects of these drugs.
Such synergistic combinations...
6.7K
Drugs for Peptic Ulcer Disease: Sucralfate as Mucosal Protective Agents01:24

Drugs for Peptic Ulcer Disease: Sucralfate as Mucosal Protective Agents

In the intricate landscape of the gastric lumen, excessive acid secretion disrupts the natural defense mechanisms, weakening the mucus-bicarbonate barrier. This vulnerability allows pepsin to infiltrate epithelial cells, digesting mucosal proteins and triggering erosion, leading to ulcer formation.
In this scenario, mucosal protective agents like sucralfate play an essential role. Sucralfate, a complex of sulfated sucrose and aluminum hydroxide, demonstrates its usefulness in acidic conditions,...
1.3K