Candidozyma auris turns skin immunity to its advantage.

Candidozyma auris exploits hair follicles and chitin exposure to induce IFNγ responses that promote its persistence on skin.

• Why it matters: Understanding how C. auris interacts with skin immunity is crucial because skin colonization is key to its success as a healthcare-associated pathogen.
• What they did: Merrill et al. used a recent Science paper to show that during skin colonization, C. auris occupies hair follicles and exposes chitin, which is linked to the induction of IFNγ responses.
• The result: This immune response remodels follicular keratinocytes, facilitating fungal persistence and highlighting a potential target for interventions against C. auris skin colonization.