Candida in the lower respiratory tract induces barrier disruption in mice and predicts poor outcomes in mechanically ventilated humans.

Candida albicans in the lower respiratory tract causes barrier disruption and predicts poor outcomes, with 70% of ventilated patients showing its association with lung injury.

• Why it matters: Understanding whether Candida contributes to lung damage is crucial, as its frequent presence in ventilated patients has been considered incidental, yet it correlates with worse clinical results.
• What they did: The study combined human cohort analysis, mouse models, and cell assays, revealing that live Candida albicans disrupts lung barriers via hyphal formation and worsens injury when combined with bacterial pathogens.
• The result: Findings demonstrate that Candida albicans actively damages lung tissue, supporting its role as a contributor to respiratory failure and highlighting potential targets for intervention.