Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 5, 2026

Bio-energetics Investigation of Candida albicans Using Real-time Extracellular Flux Analysis
08:48

Bio-energetics Investigation of Candida albicans Using Real-time Extracellular Flux Analysis

Published on: March 19, 2019

Pathogenicity and virulence of Candida auris

Trinh Phan-Canh1,2,3, Saskia Seiser3, Manju Chauhan4

  • 1Max Perutz Labs Vienna, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Vienna, Austria.

Virulence
|July 31, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Candida auris is a dangerous, drug-resistant fungus spreading through skin contact, causing severe infections. New strategies are urgently needed to combat its spread and treat difficult-to-manage candidiasis.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Candida auris is a multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen causing high morbidity and mortality.
  • It efficiently transmits via skin-to-skin contact, posing risks in healthcare settings, particularly nursing homes.
  • Clinical isolates show resistance to all major antifungal drug classes, leading to high mortality rates (30-60%) even with treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive overview of Candida auris candidiasis.
  • To discuss host and pathogen factors in skin colonization.
  • To highlight challenges in preventing dissemination and managing infections.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of current research on Candida auris.
  • Analysis of epidemiological data and clinical case studies.
  • Examination of antifungal resistance mechanisms and treatment outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Candida auris demonstrates significant antifungal resistance, including to echinocandins, azoles, and amphotericin B.
  • Skin colonization is a key factor in its persistence and transmission.
  • Invasive infections result in high mortality, underscoring treatment challenges.

Conclusions:

  • Effective prevention of Candida auris dissemination in healthcare settings is critical.
  • Management of invasive candidiasis requires addressing widespread drug resistance.
  • Further research into host-pathogen interactions and novel therapeutic strategies is essential.
Keywords:
Candida aurisCandidozyma aurishost-pathogen interactionimmune responseskin tropismvirulence

More Related Videos

An Ex vivo Assay to Study Candida albicans Hyphal Morphogenesis in the Gastrointestinal Tract07:42

An Ex vivo Assay to Study Candida albicans Hyphal Morphogenesis in the Gastrointestinal Tract

Published on: July 1, 2020

Related Concept Videos

Candidiasis01:20

Candidiasis

Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by opportunistic species of Candida. It can affect various anatomical sites, including the skin, oral cavity, nails, and genitourinary tract. Among its forms, vaginal candidiasis is the most common type of mucosal infection. It typically results from the overgrowth of Candida albicans in the vaginal mucosa. Under normal conditions, C. albicans exists as a commensal organism within the vaginal microbiota, regulated by the dominance of lactobacilli, which...
Determinants of Bacterial Pathogenicity and Virulence01:20

Determinants of Bacterial Pathogenicity and Virulence

Pathogenic bacteria employ a variety of strategies to establish infections, including the secretion of extracellular enzymes that act as potent virulence factors. These enzymes facilitate bacterial colonization of host tissues and help evade immune surveillance. By targeting structural components of host tissues and interfering with immune mechanisms, these enzymes play a pivotal role in disease progression.Extracellular Enzymes Facilitating Tissue Invasion: Several bacterial pathogens secrete...
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,...
Regulation of Bacterial Virulence01:28

Regulation of Bacterial Virulence

Pathogenic bacteria employ a range of regulatory mechanisms to modulate the expression of virulence genes in response to environmental and host-derived signals. These mechanisms ensure that virulence factors are expressed only under favorable conditions, thereby optimizing infection and survival strategies.Mechanisms of Virulence RegulationKey regulatory strategies include:Two-Component Systems: These consist of a membrane-bound sensor kinase and a cytoplasmic response regulator. Environmental...
Infection01:20

Infection

When a pathogen enters the body and reproduces, it can cause an infection, damage body cells, and cause illness symptoms that eventually lead to disease. Therefore, its prevention requires breaking the chain of infection.
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
Staphylococcal Skin Infections01:29

Staphylococcal Skin Infections

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...