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

Abstract

The emergence and evolutionary path of Candida auris poses an intriguing scientific enigma. Its isolation from a pet dog’s oral cavity in Kansas, reported by White et al. (T. C. White, B. D. Esquivel, E. M. Rouse Salcido, A. M. Schweiker, et al., mBio 15:e03080-23, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.03080-23 ), carries significant implications. This discovery intensifies concerns about its hypothetical capacity for zoonotic transmission, particularly considering the dog’s extensive human contact and the absence of secondary animal/human cases in both animals and humans. The findings challenge established notions of C. auris transmissibility and underscore the need for further investigation into the transmission dynamics, especially zooanthroponotic pathways. It raises concerns about its adaptability in different hosts and environments, highlighting potential role of environmental and animal reservoirs in its dissemination. Critical points include the evolving thermal tolerance and the genetic divergence in the isolate. This case exemplifies the necessity for an integrated One Health approach, combining human, animal, and environmental health perspectives, to unravel the complexities of C. auris ’s emergence and behavior.

Candida auris Outbreaks: Current Status and Future Perspectives

“…Thus, according to this theory, the thermotolerance and pronounced halotolerance of C. auris may have originated from a non-pathogenic environmental ancestor found in high-salinity regions, which through evolutionary adaptation was able to overcome the mammalian thermal barrier and cause infection [70]. C. auris has been found in various marine habitats, including public swimming pools, confirming its adaptability to different aquatic environments [70]. However, this does not explain why genetically distinct clades co-evolved in different regions worldwide.…”