Candida auris: a global fungal public health threat

It was only 10 years ago that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicted the emergence of new fungal pathogens as a growing public health problem. 1 Warnock DW Fungal diseases: an evolving public health challenge. Med Mycol. 2006; 44: 697-705 Crossref PubMed Scopus (46) Google Scholar In parallel, while assessing global threats, the importance of mycology in public health has been predominantly ignored in several parts of the world. 2 Casadevall A Don't forget the fungi when considering global catastrophic biorisks. Health Secur. 2017; 15: 341-342 Crossref PubMed Scopus (29) Google Scholar For example the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has no mycology experts in the team and WHO's global antimicrobial resistance surveillance system has only very recently considered emergence of resistance among fungal pathogens. 3 WHOMeeting on global surveillance of antimicrobial resistance: invasive candida infections. http://www.who.int/glass/events/AMR-in-invasive-candida-infections-meeting/en/Date: April 24, 2018 Date accessed: October 2, 2018 Google Scholar Multiple introductions and subsequent transmission of multidrug-resistant Candida auris in the USA: a molecular epidemiological surveyIsolates of C auris in the USA were genetically related to those from four global regions, suggesting that C auris was introduced into the USA several times. The five travel-related cases are examples of how introductions can occur. Genetic diversity among isolates from the same patients, health-care facilities, and states indicates that there is local and ongoing transmission. Full-Text PDF