Thermotolerance, virulence, and drug resistance of human pathogenic Candida species colonising plastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems.

ABSTRACT: Recently, six species of the pathogenic yeast Candida have been classified as priority fungal pathogens by the World Health Organisation (WHO), yet the persistence and niches of pathogenic species of Candida in the environment remains unclear. And despite the ability of Candida to form strong biofilms on plastics in clinical settings, the potential for plastics in the environment to facilitate survival and dissemination of Candida as has not been determined. Here, we have collected plastic pollutants from freshwater, estuarine, and marine environments and successfully isolated five pathogenic species of Candida, including three that are on the WHO Fungal Priority Pathogens list (C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, Pichia kudriavzevii (formerly known as Candida krusei). All environmental isolates w

SUBMITTER: Metcalf R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12202632 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature