<i>Candida auris</i>: An Overview of the Emerging Drug-Resistant Fungal Infection

<i>Candida auris</i> is an invasive fungal pathogen that has been recognized globally as a serious health threat due to its extensive innate and acquired resistance to antifungal drugs. A growing number of emerging cases of <i>C. auris</i> have been reported with resistance to the standard antifungal treatments including azoles, echinocandins, and polyenes, making it difficult to treat. Unlike other <i>Candida</i> species, <i>C. auris</i> is challenging to diagnose using the standard laboratory methods and are typically prone to misidentification, resulting in inappropriate management. Consequently, <i>C. auris</i> infections have spread globally. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data showed that clinical cases of <i>C. auris</i> increased from 329 in 2018 to 1,012 in 2021. The incidence and prevalence of this invasive fungal infection are high in immunocompromised and hospitalized patients. Patients who had an organ transplant, are on immunosuppressive agents, are diabetic, recent antibiotic use, catheter use, and prolonged hospital or nursing homestays are vulnerable to <i>C. auris</i> infections. <i>C. auris</i> is rapidly spreading across healthcare settings globally and monitoring of its virulence as well as devising appropriate treatment approaches are thus highly required.