Adsorption of antifungals on polymers abundant in aquatic environments and hospital materials and their contribution to Candida auris resistance

• Grant number: 24/07312-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: June 01, 2024
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Arnaldo Lopes Colombo
• Grantee: Lucas Pereira Mendes da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas (ICAQF). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Diadema. Diadema , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/10599-3 - The Antimicrobial Resistance Institute of São Paulo (The Aries Project), AP.CEPID

Abstract

Fungal infections (FI) are a significant global problem, affecting over one billion people annually, with more than 150 million severe infections leading to about 1.7 million deaths. The use of antifungals, which includes a broad spectrum of medications to combat fungi in humans, animals, and plants, has been increasing. However, their extensive use has contributed to the rise in fungal resistance, particularly due to these compounds' presence in the environment, resulting from animal and human excretion and improper disposal. This environmental contamination with antifungals not only increases fungal resistance, necessitating the development of new drugs and treatment methods but also can enhance the toxic potential of pollutants when associated with antifungals. A specific example of this resistance is found in C. auris, an emerging fungal pathogen that is notably resistant to multiple antifungals, associated with high morbidity and mortality. This fungus, first identified in 2009, can colonize plastic materials in hospitals and remain viable for long periods, increasing the risk of nosocomial outbreaks. Moreover, recent studies have shown that C. auris can survive in aquatic environments and in biofilms on plastics, indicating a concerning potential for dispersion. This scenario underscores the importance of understanding the interactions between C. auris, antifungal pollutants, and the environment, both to control the spread of this pathogen and to develop effective treatment strategies and prevent antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, this current project aims to study the potential contributions that antifungals adsorbed onto polluting polymers can bring to the antimicrobial resistance of C. auris in different environments.