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Candida auris fungus shows pan-resistance in new African case
Health experts are raising alarms over Candida auris (also known as Candidozyma auris), a highly resistant fungus that has spread to over 60 countries since its discovery in Japan in 2009. The pathogen, which the World Health Organization classified as a critical priority fungal pathogen in 2022, is known for causing invasive infections with mortality rates between 30% and 50%.
A significant development has occurred in Nairobi, Kenya, where a 28-year-old patient was found to have a pan-resistant strain. This is the first such case in Africa and only the second recorded globally, following a 2022 case in New York. This specific strain shows resistance to all four major classes of antifungal drugs: fluconazole, caspofungin, micafungin, amphotericin B, and flucytosine.
Research from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) suggests the fungus may survive on human skin by manipulating the immune system. Unlike other fungi that trigger interleukin-17 for defense, C. auris induces the release of interferon-gamma. This response suppresses IL-17 and slows the renewal of hair follicle cells, potentially allowing the fungus to colonize and persist on the skin.
Entities
Candidozyma auris · Candidozyma auris · Kenya · Nairobi · University of California, San Francisco · World Health Organization
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] C. auris triggers interferon-gamma release, suppressing IL-17 and slowing hair follicle cell renewal. trn.mk
- [● 2 SOURCES] A pan-resistant strain of C. auris was found in a 28-year-old patient in Nairobi, Kenya. tech.everyeye.it · www.politika.rs
- [● 2 SOURCES] C. auris mortality rates range from 30% to 50%. tech.everyeye.it · www.politika.rs
- [○ 1 SOURCE] UCSF researchers studied C. auris behavior on mouse skin. trn.mk
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Kenyan C. auris strain is resistant to fluconazole, caspofungin, micafungin, amphotericin B, and flucytosine. tech.everyeye.it · www.politika.rs
- [● 2 SOURCES] The WHO classified C. auris as a critical priority fungal pathogen in 2022. tech.everyeye.it · www.politika.rs
- [● 3 SOURCES] C. auris was first identified in Japan in 2009. trn.mk · tech.everyeye.it · www.politika.rs
- [● 2 SOURCES] C. auris has spread to over 60 countries. tech.everyeye.it · www.politika.rs