Whole genome sequencing of emerging multidrug resistant Candida auris isolates in India demonstrates low genetic variation.. C. auris

Candida auris is an emerging multidrug resistant yeast, which causes nosocomial fungemia and deep-seated infections. Notably, the emergence of this yeast is alarming as it exhibits resistance to azoles, amphotericin B and caspofungin that may lead to clinical failure in patients. The multigene phylogeny and AFLP typing methods report C. auris population as clonal. Here, using whole genome sequencing analysis, we decipher for the first time that C. auris strains from 4 Indian hospitals were highly related suggesting clonal transmission. Further, all C. auris isolates originated from cases of fungemia and were resistant to fluconazole (MIC >64μg/ml).