The spread of the fungal species Candida auris is accelerating worldwide and its virulence is increasing, according to a new review published in Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews by scientists from the Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI), the University of Delhi, and the National Institutes of Health.
The paper, co-authored by Neeraj Chauhan, Ph.D., from CDI; Anuradha Chowdhary, Ph.D., a leading expert in fungal threats at the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute at the University of Delhi and visiting researcher at CDI; and Michail Lionakis, M.D., Sc.D., chief of clinical mycology at NIH, examines recent advances in mycology as of 2025. The authors analyze current strategies to address C. auris, which is known for being invasive and resistant to drugs.
Chowdhary was among the first scientists to identify C. auris as a significant public health concern in India in 2014. Lionakis is recognized globally for his work on fungal immunology.
The authors state: "Taken together, these data underscore the need to develop novel antifungal agents with broad-spectrum activity against human fungal pathogens, to improve diagnostic tests, and to develop immune- and vaccine- based adjunct modalities for the treatment of high-risk patients," they write. "In addition, future efforts should focus on raising awareness about fungal disease through developing better surveillance mechanisms, especially in resource-poor countries.
"All these developments should help improve the outcomes and prognosis of patients afflicted by opportunistic fungal infections," the authors conclude.
