Unmasking Candidozyma auris: Whole Genome Sequencing-Driven Discoveries in Pathogenesis and Treatment Innovation

Candidozyma auris (formerly known as Candida auris, C.auris) is a pathogenic yeast that can cause invasive candidiasis and hospital outbreaks. It is considered an emerging global health issue due to its high mortality, high transmissibility, resistance to extreme environmental conditions, and resistance to multiple antifungal agents. This fungal pathogen is distributed worldwide across its six clades. Due to these features, in 2022 the World Health Organisation listed C.auris on the Fungal Priority Pathogens List. The diagnosis is quite challenging to establish using conventional techniques. Despite the limitations of conventional diagnostic tests, f whole-genome sequencing (WGS) provides a wide range of information, from phylogenetic characterisation to genotypic analysis, with implications for guiding appropriate therapeutic and infection-control strategies. This review summarises current WGS-based studies on C.auris, focusing on phylogenetic analysis, epidemiology, outbreak control, and antifungal resistance-associated mutations.