Ex Vivo Human and Porcine Skin Effectively Model Candida auris Colonization, Differentiating Robust and Poor Fungal Colonizers
Open accessAbstract
Candida auris proliferates and persists on the skin of patients, often leading to health care-associated infections with high mortality. Here, we describe 2 clinically relevant skin models and show that C. auris grows similarly on human and porcine skin. Additionally, we demonstrate that other Candida spp., including those with phylogenetic similarity to C. auris, do not display high growth in the skin microenvironment. These studies highlight the utility of 2 ex vivo models of C. auris colonization that allow reproducible differentiation among Candida spp., which should be a useful tool for comparison of C. auris clinical isolates and genetically mutated strains.
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Higher skin burdens for C. auris correlate with clinical observations of persistent skin colonization and ex vivo models of C. auris growing on human skin.
“The higher skin burdens for C. auris also correlate with clinical observations of persistent skin colonization and ex vivo models of C. auris growing on human skin (24).”
From Differential skin immune responses in mice intradermally infected with <i>Candida auris</i> and <i>Candida albicans</i> (2023) · cites this paper as [24]
Clinical isolates of all four major clades of C. auris can colonize the skin.
“While clinical isolates of all four major clades of C. auris can colonize the skin20”
From Adhesin Als4112 promotes Candida auris skin colonization through interactions with keratinocytes and extracellular matrix proteins (2025) · cites this paper as [20]
Eix et al. did not report strain-specific variation using a porcine skin colonization model.
“However, Eix et al. did not report such variation using a porcine skin colonization model20.”
From Adhesin Als4112 promotes Candida auris skin colonization through interactions with keratinocytes and extracellular matrix proteins (2025) · cites this paper as [20]
C. haemuli complex species are closely related to C. auris but are poor skin colonizers and do not cause outbreaks in hospitals.
“Although the C. haemuli complex species are closely related to C. auris, they are still poor skin colonizers and do not cause outbreaks in hospitals [9].”
From Host–Candida auris interactions in the skin (2026) · cites this paper as [9]
C. auris can grow and persist for extensive periods under skin-like conditions in simulation studies and animal models.
“Several simulation studies and animal models have demonstrated that C. auris can grow and persist for extensive periods under skin-like conditions.”
From <i>Candida auris</i> metabolism and growth preferences in physiologically relevant skin-like conditions (2026) · cites this paper as [20]
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- Authors
- Eix, E. F., Johnson, C. J., Wartman, K. M., Kernien, J. F., Meudt, J. J., Shanmuganayagam, D., Gibson, A. L. F., & Nett, J. E.
- Affiliations
- University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
- Corresponding author
- Nett, Jeniel E
- Venue
- The Journal of Infectious Diseases
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2022-03-10
- Volume
- 225
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 1791-1795
- ISSN
- 0022-1899 (ISSN-L)
- 1537-6613
- PMC
- PMC9113498
- OpenAlex
- W4221096358
- Cited by
- 41
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 2
- FWCI
- 3.18
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Licence
- academic.oup.com/journals/pages/open_access/funder_policies/chorus/standard_publication_model (vor)
- Locations
- The Journal of Infectious Diseases (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (R01AI145939, R21AI159583)
- Burroughs Wellcome Fund (1012299)
- National Science Foundation (DGE-1747503)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Antifungal resistance and susceptibility
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Infection Control in Healthcare
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Fungal Infections and Studies
- Keywords
- Candida auris, ex vivo skin model, porcine skin, human skin, nosocomial infections
- MeSH terms
- Candida auris, Animals, Antifungal Agents, Candida, Candidiasis, Humans, Phylogeny, Skin, Swine
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