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First report of infections due to Candidozyma (formerly Candida) auris in Botswana, 2022–2024

Summary

Researchers in Botswana discovered the first documented cases of a dangerous fungal infection called Candidozyma auris in their country. This yeast was found in 10 patients at a major hospital, mostly in intensive care units, between 2022 and 2024. The fungus was resistant to common antifungal drugs like fluconazole but could still be treated with other medications. The findings highlight how this emerging pathogen is spreading across Africa and stress the importance of improved laboratory testing and disease monitoring in developing countries.

Background

Candidozyma auris has been identified in over 60 countries across six continents since 2009, but only six African countries have documented clinical cases, likely due to limited diagnostic capacity. Botswana’s proximity to South Africa, where C. auris is well-established, raised concerns about undetected transmission in healthcare settings.

Objective

To identify and characterize clinical C. auris cases in Botswana through retrospective review of stored clinical isolates from a tertiary care hospital.

Results

10 C. auris isolates were identified (22.7% of confirmed Candida species), mostly from ICU patients. All isolates belonged to clade III lineage from South Africa and showed fluconazole resistance but susceptibility to echinocandins and amphotericin B. SNP analysis indicated multiple independent introduction events rather than a single outbreak.

Conclusion

This report documents Botswana’s first confirmed C. auris clinical cases, highlighting urgent need for enhanced fungal diagnostic capacity and surveillance systems in low- and middle-income countries to detect and prevent undetected transmission.
  • Published in:Microbiology Spectrum,
  • Study Type:Case Report,
  • Source: 10.1128/spectrum.02042-25, PMID: 40900350
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