What Is Candida Auris? Deadly Fungus Can Hide in Hair Follicles, Rewire Immune System, Study Finds

A new study has shed light on how Candida auris (C. auris), a drug-resistant fungal pathogen, is able to survive on human skin for months without causing symptoms. Researchers found that the fungus can burrow into hair follicles, alter the body's immune response and create conditions that allow it to persist, potentially increasing the risk of transmission to medically vulnerable individuals.

The findings come as health authorities continue to monitor the spread of Candida auris, which has been reported in more than two dozen US states this year. First identified in Japan in 2009 and detected in the United States in 2016, the fungus has been classified by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an "urgent antimicrobial resistance threat" because some strains are resistant to all major classes of antifungal medications. 'Amnesia' About Measles Risk Pushes Growth in US Infections.

What Is Candida Auris?

Candida auris is a type of yeast that can enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body. It is primarily transmitted in healthcare settings such as hospitals and nursing homes, where it can survive on contaminated surfaces for extended periods.

For most healthy individuals, the fungus does not cause severe illness. However, people can carry it on their skin without symptoms and unknowingly transmit it to patients with weakened immune systems or other serious medical conditions. Unlike the more common Candida albicans, which the immune system typically clears within days, Candida auris can remain on the skin for months. Who Was Sydney Towle? TikTok Star Who Documented Cancer Journey Dies at 26.

How the Fungus Evades the Immune System

In the latest study, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) infected laboratory mice with both Candida auris and Candida albicans to compare how the immune system responded. The team found that while Candida albicans was eliminated within days, Candida auris survived by taking refuge inside hair follicles.

Researchers discovered that the fungi triggered different immune responses. Candida albicans activated IL-17, an immune response that repairs the skin barrier and strengthens the body's natural antifungal defenses. By contrast, Candida auris stimulated interferon gamma, an immune signal normally associated with fighting viral infections.

According to the researchers, the fungus achieves this by exposing more chitin, a molecule in its outer cell wall. This activates nearby immune cells around hair follicles, causing them to release interferon gamma instead of mounting the typical antifungal response.

The altered immune response slows the replacement of damaged hair follicle cells, allowing the fungus to survive and multiply.

Researchers Explain the Findings

"Chitin is widespread in nature, so it's not like the human skin never encounters it, but we were surprised to see that C. auris actively uses its chitin to turn the skin into a perfect nest," Dr. Suzanne Noble, professor of microbiology at UCSF and co-senior author of the study, said in a university press release. The researchers believe the findings could help identify new approaches to controlling the fungus on human skin.

Why Candida Auris Is a Public Health Concern

Doctors say there is currently no reliable method to completely eliminate Candida auris from the skin, and infections can be difficult to treat. In some cases, multiple antifungal medications are required because of widespread drug resistance.

According to the CDC, some strains are resistant to all three major classes of antifungal drugs, making infections particularly challenging to manage.

Although many carriers never develop symptoms, invasive infections can cause fever, chills, fatigue, low blood pressure and a rapid heart rate, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

"It’s only when it reaches deeper tissues in medically vulnerable patients that it becomes dangerous," said Dr. Ari Molofsky, UCSF professor, immunologist and co-senior author of the study. "Understanding how it survives on the skin may help explain how it eventually causes serious infections."

Cases Continue to Be Reported

Health experts note that determining the exact fatality rate of Candida auris remains difficult because many affected patients have serious underlying medical conditions.

According to the CDC, up to 60% of people with invasive Candida auris infections have died, although the fungus is often one of several contributing factors. The agency estimates the pathogen contributes to approximately 3,000 deaths annually in the United States.

As of 2026, around 3,000 cases have been documented across 23 US states, with Texas reporting the highest number of cases, followed by continued detections in states including New Jersey.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 07, 2026 12:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).