Candida auris detected in the oral cavity of a dog in Kansas

Abstract

Candida auris is an emerging human fungal pathogen, first described in Japan in 2009, and first detected in the United States in 2016. Here, we report the first-ever description of C. auris colonizing a human pet, the first identification of C. auris in a non-human mammal in the United States and the first C. auris isolate from the state of Kansas. While analyzing the oral mycobiome of dogs from a shelter in Kansas, the oral swab from one dog was found to contain C. auris as well as three other fungal species. The presence of C. auris in a dog suggests the possibility of zoonotic transmission to humans. The isolate is a member of Clade IV, which has been found in patients in Chicago and Florida, while Clades I and III are the most prevalent in the United States. The isolate is resistant to fluconazole, terbinafine, and amphotericin B but susceptible to caspofungin, consistent with the drug-resistant characteristics of many human C. auris isolates. The source of C. auris transient colonization in this dog is unknown, and there is no evidence that it was further transmitted to humans, other dogs in the shelter, or pets in its adopted household. Isolation of C. auris from a dog in Kansas has public health implications as a potential emerging source for the zoonotic spread of this pathogenic fungus, and for the development of antifungal resistance. IMPORTANCE Candida auris is an emerging fungal infection of humans and is particularly problematic because it is multi-drug resistant and difficult to treat. It is also known to be spread from person to person by contact and can remain on surfaces for long periods of time. In this report, a dog in a shelter in Kansas is found to be colonized with Candida auris . This is the first study to document the presence of Candida auris on a pet, the first to document C. auris presence on a non-human mammal in the United States, and the first to report an isolate of C. auris within the state of Kansas. The presence of C. auris in a pet dog raises the possibility of zoonotic transmission from pets to human or vice versa.

Candida auris Outbreaks: Current Status and Future Perspectives

“…It has been suggested that birds may have contributed to the global spread of C. auris progenitors, enabling the independent evolution of different clades across continents (Figure 3). The recent discovery of C. auris in the oral cavity of a dog supports the hypothesis of zoonotic transmission [71]. The validation of the theory necessitates multidisciplinary research to clarify transmission dynamics and investigate potential environmental and animal reservoirs.…”

Is Candida auris the first multidrug-resistant fungal zoonosis emerging from climate change?

“…Candida auris sequences were identified in the ear canal of a Spanish dog with otitis externa and on the skin of two newt species in Cambridgeshire, UK. Subsequent findings extended beyond metabarcoding evidence; live C. auris was isolated from two stray dogs with otitis externa in India ( 13 ) and from the oral cavity of a pet dog in Kansas as documented in the interesting study by White et al ( 14 ).…”

“…This instance was the first documented occurrence in Kansas, in an area without previous reports of the pathogen. Notably, despite C. auris’ s known transmission capability and surface survivability, there were no secondary cases in other dogs at the shelter, including the dog’s littermate, even with regular oral contact among dogs and humans ( 14 ). This pattern was also seen in the Indian stray dogs ( 13 ).…”

Candida auris Updates: Outbreak Evaluation through Molecular Assays and Antifungal Stewardship—A Narrative Review

“…Transient oral colonization with this multidrug resistant fungus, in non-human mammals, has already been reported, and the first such case of C. auris oral colonization in a pet was published in 2024. The health implication of this oral colonization in pets is that zoonotic transmission to humans may be possible, given the long period of time that this pathogen can remain on surfaces [ 49 ]. In the case that human transient oral colonization is also reported, screening for oral C. auris may be recommended in the future before dental procedures, due to the possibility of hematogenous spread and even severe systemic infections in immunosuppressed patients.…”