health
diciembre 22, 2025
Científicos hallan posible vía para combatir a un hongo que afecta a pacientes internados en hospitales
Candida auris es un hongo patógeno que afecta principalmente a personas internadas en hospitales, especialmente a pacientes en estado crítico o con el sistema de defensas debilitado. Por Valeria Román / Infobae El microorganismo se detectó en 2008 y ya circula en hospitales de más de cuarenta países, incluyendo los de América Latina. En ambientes hospitalarios, puede causar infecciones graves, con una mortalidad […]
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TL;DR
- *Candida auris* is a dangerous hospital-acquired fungus with a nearly 45% mortality rate.
- Scientists in the UK and Netherlands discovered a genetic vulnerability related to iron uptake in the fungus.
- This genetic mechanism allows *Candida auris* to capture essential iron, aiding its survival and growth.
- Blocking this iron-capturing mechanism could be a future target for more effective treatments.
- The fungus is highly resistant to common antifungal medications, heat, and desiccation, making it difficult to eradicate from healthcare settings.
- Researchers used the Arabic killifish model to observe the fungus's behavior during infection in real-time.
- The study suggests that existing drugs capable of blocking iron uptake could be investigated for treating *Candida auris* infections.
- Further research is required to validate these findings in human infections and conduct controlled clinical trials.
- Targeting virulence mechanisms, rather than directly killing the fungus, presents a novel and potentially safer therapeutic approach.