The Candida auris fungus is spreading across the globe at an “alarming” speed. This species of fungus, which can cause fatal infections in risk groups and was first discovered only 10 years ago, can now be found all over the world. In nearly all cases, infections are contracted in hospitals, and the fungus has become resistant to all current drugs. Molecular biologist Auke de Jong, who is conducting research to try to understand the fungus, will be defending his Ph.D. thesis on 22 December in the Agnietenkapel in Amsterdam.
“We are seeing a shift away from infections caused by Candida species that are easily treatable towards drug-resistant species that pose a threat, with Candida auris being one of the most notorious of these infectious fungi species.”
The origins of the fungus as still shrouded in mystery. De Jong is looking for clues in the DNA and behavior of Candida auris. “We suspect that seawater plays a key role,” he says. “Because this fungus has a very high tolerance for salt, which is a substance many fungi cannot cope with. The sea could be a plausible route for the global spread of Candida auris; it may have been spread across the globe by the currents.”
According to De Jong, its spread is alarming. “The fungus causes an exceptionally high death rate among risk groups and cannot be properly treated. It’s a robust and highly adaptable fungus. For example, in addition to its high tolerance for salt, it can also easily survive relatively high temperatures and commonly used disinfectants.”
Nearly all infections with the fungus are contracted in hospitals. “Operations present an opportunity for the fungus to enter the body.” It is unknown where the patients first came in contact with the fungus. “Hospitals are unlikely to be the original source; patients probably already carried the fungus with them for some time.”
However, there are explanations for its fast spread. “It is mainly due to the huge medical advances made in recent decades. There is now a whole group of people who continue to live with diseases from which people used to die more quickly. The downside of that is that this group often has a severely weakened immune system, which makes them much more vulnerable to infections.”
According to De Jong, there is therefore an urgent need to work on being able to detect and fight the fungus early on. “My research is mapping the unique characteristics of this Candida species. We are currently seeing many misdiagnoses in hospitals, leading to incorrect or belated treatment of fungal infections. To be able to reduce that, we first need to identify and understand the fungus better.”
Actions of mankind have accelerated the fungus’ adaptive capacity
The fact that species of fungi are adapting to the substances with which we fight them is not exactly a new development. “It is similar to the capacity of all living organisms to slowly adapt to their changing environment. But what is new is that, through our actions, such as the large-scale use of fungicides in agriculture, we (mankind) have accelerated the process in this fungus. In this way, we are contributing to the development of a fungus that is even more quickly building an increasingly stronger resistance to the substances with which we fight it.”
Auke de Jong will defend the dissertation “Fungal Pathogens Exposed. Novel insights into Candida auris and emerging relatives of the Candida haemulonii species complex” on 22 December in the Agnietenkapel in Amsterdam.
Provided by University of Amsterdam
News
Unzipping the Code of Life: Scientists Pinpoint Where DNA First Opens
Researchers mapped where DNA first opens and how a helicase gate may release one strand as genome copying begins. Before a cell can divide, it must open its tightly wound DNA and begin copying the entire [...]
Scientists Tested an 8-Hour Eating Window and Found a Surprising Brain Benefit
Limiting the daily eating window may provide brain benefits beyond those associated with weight loss. Eating within a shorter daily window may provide cognitive benefits beyond those associated with weight loss alone, according to [...]
Focused Ultrasound Opens Blood-Brain Barrier to Treat Brain Cancer
Summary: A new study demonstrates that primary brain tumors (gliomas) are particularly receptive to targeted drug delivery using focused ultrasound (FUS) combined with microbubbles. The team developed a high-resolution MRI protocol to track blood-brain barrier [...]
AI’s promise and practical limits in drug discovery
AI tools are becoming increasingly common in early drug discovery, allowing scientists to analyse data and navigate large volumes of research. However, according to Dr Raminderpal Singh, turning that potential into consistent scientific workflows [...]
GHCE Concept
From the preface of the book Global Health Care Equivalency in the Age of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine and Artificial Intelligence, Edited by Frank Boehm: Since the publication of my first book (Nanomedical Device and Systems [...]
Healthcare Headlines: Challenges and Advances in 2026
Health-related updates reveal financial adjustments by Universal Health Services due to Medicaid reimbursement uncertainties, significant pollution-linked health concerns from French-British oil firm Perenco in Congo, drug trial setbacks, potential restructuring at major medical firms, [...]
Scientists Discover the Brain Protein That Helps Alzheimer’s Spread Through the Brain
Scientists have identified a brain protein that may help Alzheimer’s spread, revealing a potential new target for slowing the disease’s progression. Alzheimer’s disease is closely linked to the accumulation of a toxic form of the protein [...]
How Immune Dysregulation Contributes to Psychiatric Disorders
Introduction Growing evidence suggests that disruptions in immune function may play an important role in the development and progression of psychiatric disorders. However, immune mechanisms probably contribute more strongly in some patients than others, [...]
Electrostatic Discharge Boosts Triboelectric Nanogenerator Current and Enables DC Output
Controlled electrical discharges could enable triboelectric nanogenerators to achieve higher peak currents, extending nano-enabled energy harvesting into chemical processing and self-powered sensing. Paper: Electrostatic discharge as a breakthrough strategy for triboelectric nanogenerators. A new review [...]
Swiss laboratory uses old drugs against rare diseases
Researchers at the University of Geneva are combing through collections of approved drugs to find new therapies for rare diseases – with some success. This approach is gaining traction around the world, while pharmaceutical [...]
Nanozyme Aptasensors Show Promise for Faster Food, Health, and Environmental Testing
By pairing robust artificial enzymes with highly selective aptamers, nanozyme aptasensors could help detect disease biomarkers, pathogens, and contaminants faster, but the review shows that real-world deployment still depends on overcoming matrix interference, biofouling, [...]
Paralyzed Man Feels Sensation Again With Brain Stimulation Device
Aneuroprosthetic system has allowed a man with paralysis to grasp and lift objects and feel touch again. The device helped 42-year-old Keith Thomas of Massapequa, New York, who was paralyzed from the chest down [...]
Global Cancer Cases Could Surge 67% by 2050, New Report Warns
New data reveal major geographic disparities and highlight the urgent need for global action on prevention, early detection, and equitable access to treatment. For roughly one in five people worldwide, cancer will become part [...]
A Deadly Ebola-Like Virus Is Spreading. Are We Ready?
BU virologist Nancy Sullivan says the Bundibugyo outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo underscores the need for broader outbreak preparedness. The death of a nurse marked the moment health officials recognized that [...]
Why Most Animal Viruses Never Become Human Pandemics
From receptor mismatch to risky human-animal interfaces, this article explains why spillover is common but true pandemic emergence remains rare. Introduction Humans are constantly exposed to animal viruses through farming, wildlife contact, and the [...]
Stem cell organoids repair heart microvessels in coronary artery disease models
A Stanford University team has shown that vascular organoids derived from human stem cells can repair the heart’s microvessel network in pigs with ischaemic heart disease – a proof-of-concept advancement that could open new therapeutic [...]
