<i>Candida auris</i> persists in the vaginal microaerobic niche in the absence of interleukin-17A

<i>Candida auris</i> is an emerging fungal species, and several reports have recently identified C. auris in patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), although few studies have investigated the relationship between C. auris and VVC or the associated host factors. Our study, using the VVC mouse model, confirmed persistent vaginal colonization by <i>C. auris</i>, especially clades I, III, and IV, along with reduced neutrophil infiltration and lower S100A8 secretion under interleukin-17A-deficient conditions. In addition, <i>in vitro</i> assays demonstrated enhanced <i>C. auris</i> adhesion to vaginal epithelial cells, especially microaerobic conditions imitating human vaginal microenvironments. Our findings suggest that <i>C. auris</i> exhibits strong vaginal tropism, and IL-17A plays a critical role in controlling <i>C. auris</i>-associated VVC.