Candida auris sp. nov., a novel ascomycetous yeast isolated from the external ear canal of an inpatient in a Japanese hospital

Abstract

A single strain of a novel ascomycetous yeast species belonging to the genus Candida was isolated from the external ear canal of an inpatient in a Japanese hospital. Analyses of the 26S rDNA D1/D2 domain, nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS region sequences, and chemotaxonomic studies indicated that this strain represents a new species with a close phylogenetic relationship to Candida ruelliae and Candida haemulonii in the Metschnikowiaceae clade. This strain grew well at 40 °C, but showed slow and weak growth at 42 °C. The taxonomic description of Candida auris sp. nov. is proposed (type strain JCM15448 T = CBS10913T = DSM21092T). © 2009 The Societies and Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.