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The rise of Candidozyma auris in Czechia: three clades, prosthetic joint infection and fluconazole resistance development, 2022 to 2024
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Bram Spruijtenburg1,2
,
Jacques F Meis1,3
,
Norman van Rhijn4,5
,
Martina Čurdová6
,
Eva Kašperová6
,
Petr Vašek7
,
Lucie Bartoníčková8
,
Jan Kubele9
,
Petra Olišarová10
,
Kateřina Svobodová10
,
Daniela Lžičařová11
,
Dana Němcová9
,
Věra Kůrková12
,
Šárka Lásiková13
,
Naďa Mallátová14
,
Theun de Groot1,2
,
Pavlína Lysková15,*
,
Eelco F J Meijer1,2,*
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View Affiliations Hide AffiliationsAffiliations: 1 Radboudumc-CWZ Center of Expertise for Mycology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands 2 Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital (CWZ)/Dicoon, Nijmegen, The Netherlands 3 Institute of Translational Research, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD) and Excellence Center for Medical Mycology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany 4 Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom 5 Microbial Evolution Research Manchester, Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom 6 Department of Microbiology, Military University Hospital, Prague, Czechia 7 Department of Orthopedics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Military Hospital Prague, Czechia 8 Department of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Královské Vinohrady, Prague, Czechia 9 Department of Medical Microbiology, Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czechia 10 Department of Clinical Microbiology and ATB Centre, Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czechia 11 Department of Medical Microbiology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czechia 12 Department of Medical Microbiology, Písek Hospital, Písek, Czechia 13 Department of Medical Microbiology, Bulovka Hospital, Prague, Czechia 14 Department of Medical Microbiology, České Budějovice Hospital, České Budějovice, Czechia 15 Department of Medical Microbiology Prague and Kladno, Public Health Institute in Ústí nad Labem, Prague, Czechia* These authors contributed equally to this work and share last authorship.Correspondence:Eelco F J MeijerEelco.meijer cwz.nl
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Citation style for this article: Spruijtenburg Bram, Meis Jacques F, van Rhijn Norman, Čurdová Martina, Kašperová Eva, Vašek Petr, Bartoníčková Lucie, Kubele Jan, Olišarová Petra, Svobodová Kateřina, Lžičařová Daniela, Němcová Dana, Kůrková Věra, Lásiková Šárka, Mallátová Naďa, de Groot Theun, Lysková Pavlína, Meijer Eelco F J. The rise of Candidozyma auris in Czechia: three clades, prosthetic joint infection and fluconazole resistance development, 2022 to 2024. Euro Surveill. 2025;30(45):pii=2500285. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.45.2500285 Received: 22 Apr 2025; Accepted: 18 Aug 2025
Abstract
Candidozyma auris has emerged globally as a major threat to public health due to its outbreak causing capacity and antifungal resistance. Outbreaks have proven difficult to control despite enhanced infection prevention measures. Thus, national surveillance is warranted.
We aim to characterise the epidemiology of C. auris cases in Czechia between 2022 and 2024 to investigate whether autochthonous spread is occurring and asses antifungal resistance.
High-resolution genotyping was performed to assess genetic relatedness between isolates. Microbroth dilution was performed on all isolates and underlying mechanisms resistance were inspected with whole genome sequencing.
Eight cases from seven different hospitals were reported, mainly collected from non-sterile sites, in addition to the first documented prosthetic joint infection by C. auris. Only two patients reported travel history. Three clades were found, with the first report of Clade IV in Europe. For one patient, initial isolates were pan-susceptible but after short exposure to fluconazole became resistant with a novel mechanism.
C. auris reported in Czechia in patients without travel history suggests autochthonous spread. Three clades were present, often with unknown route of introduction. Development of fluconazole resistance upon brief exposure highlights the ability of C. auris to rapidly evolve.
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