Candida auris emerged as an important fungal pathogen in 2009, when the previously unknown fungus was discovered in the infected ear of a seventy-year-old Japanese woman. Where C. auris suddenly came from was not clear, but soon after that, different strains appeared all over the world. It turned out to be a persistent, difficult to control fungus.
Since then, the fungus has spread across six continents as a causative microorganism of hospital-acquired infections. It remains challenging on many fronts, not only difficult to diagnose but also resistant to many commonly used antifungal drugs.