# Candida auris as an emerging fungal pathogen: Is climate change a perfect breeding ground for this fungal pathogen?

## TL;DR

Candida auris is a rapidly spreading fungus that may be linked to climate change due to its ability to adapt to rising temperatures.

## Contribution

The paper proposes a novel link between climate change and the emergence of Candida auris as a global pathogen.

## Key findings

- Candida auris emerged simultaneously on four continents with genetically distinct strains.
- Rising temperatures in the Indian subcontinent correlate with increased fungal infections.
- Climate change may create favorable conditions for the spread of fungal pathogens like Candida auris.

## Abstract

Over the past decade, there has been an increasing level of concern regarding Candida auris. This fungus was initially identified in the auditory canal of an elderly Japanese woman in a medical facility in Tokyo, Japan, in 2009. Over the course of the upcoming decade, the fungus emerged concurrently on four distinct continents, with each strain exhibiting sufficient genetic distinctiveness to dispel the notion of intercontinental disease transmission. With climate change, fungal infection rates have increased throughout the world. In the Indian subcontinent, the temperature has been rising over the years, which could be the leading reason for the increase in fungal infections. Hence, it is postulated that climate change can be the breeding ground for emerging fungal pathogens as they adapt themselves to high temperatures.