Emerging pathogens: the underestimated risk of Kodamaea ohmeri infection in hospitals
IntroductionKodamaea ohmeri is a rare but significant emerging human pathogen, particularly in neonates, with high mortality rates. While most K. ohmeri infections are sporadic, they can be underestimated during hospital outbreaks owing to challenges with traditional identification methods. We condu...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| author | Shuang-Jie Wang Xia Yu Jia-hui Liang Dong-yan Zheng Dong-yan Zheng Cun-Wei Cao Cun-Wei Cao |
| author_facet | Shuang-Jie Wang Xia Yu Jia-hui Liang Dong-yan Zheng Dong-yan Zheng Cun-Wei Cao Cun-Wei Cao |
| author_sort | Shuang-Jie Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionKodamaea ohmeri is a rare but significant emerging human pathogen, particularly in neonates, with high mortality rates. While most K. ohmeri infections are sporadic, they can be underestimated during hospital outbreaks owing to challenges with traditional identification methods. We conducted a retrospective study to determine the diagnostic accuracy of detecting K. ohmeri in candidemia.MethodsSix non-duplicated isolates (initially misidentified as Candida dubliniensis) were collected from four patients in a single department over 1 month. Clinical and whole-genome sequencing data of the outbreak strains were evaluated to identify possible outbreaks.ResultsAll patients presented atypical features at diagnosis, and isolates had a low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine, and echinocandins, except for fluconazole with a high MIC. Notably, Patient 4 had a high MIC for triazoles. The isolates were grouped into three clades based on core genome single-nucleotide polymorphisms and single-copy orthologous genes. Clade 1 contained isolates from Patients 1 and 2, suggesting a common infection source.ConclusionThis study underscores the need for improved awareness of K. ohmeri infections, which, although rare, involve emerging fluconazole-resistant strains. Kodamaea ohmeri should be considered a potential nosocomial pathogen capable of causing outbreaks; overlooking these emerging human pathogens may have serious consequences. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-52beee7f2deb4acb9f5107954846f40f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-52beee7f2deb4acb9f5107954846f40f2025-08-20T03:51:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-05-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.15727471572747Emerging pathogens: the underestimated risk of Kodamaea ohmeri infection in hospitalsShuang-Jie Wang0Xia Yu1Jia-hui Liang2Dong-yan Zheng3Dong-yan Zheng4Cun-Wei Cao5Cun-Wei Cao6Department of Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, ChinaJoint Inspection Center of Precision Medicine, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, ChinaDepartment of Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, ChinaDepartment of Dermatology and Venereology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, ChinaGuangxi Key Laboratory of Mycosis Research and Prevention, Nanning, ChinaDepartment of Dermatology and Venereology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, ChinaGuangxi Key Laboratory of Mycosis Research and Prevention, Nanning, ChinaIntroductionKodamaea ohmeri is a rare but significant emerging human pathogen, particularly in neonates, with high mortality rates. While most K. ohmeri infections are sporadic, they can be underestimated during hospital outbreaks owing to challenges with traditional identification methods. We conducted a retrospective study to determine the diagnostic accuracy of detecting K. ohmeri in candidemia.MethodsSix non-duplicated isolates (initially misidentified as Candida dubliniensis) were collected from four patients in a single department over 1 month. Clinical and whole-genome sequencing data of the outbreak strains were evaluated to identify possible outbreaks.ResultsAll patients presented atypical features at diagnosis, and isolates had a low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine, and echinocandins, except for fluconazole with a high MIC. Notably, Patient 4 had a high MIC for triazoles. The isolates were grouped into three clades based on core genome single-nucleotide polymorphisms and single-copy orthologous genes. Clade 1 contained isolates from Patients 1 and 2, suggesting a common infection source.ConclusionThis study underscores the need for improved awareness of K. ohmeri infections, which, although rare, involve emerging fluconazole-resistant strains. Kodamaea ohmeri should be considered a potential nosocomial pathogen capable of causing outbreaks; overlooking these emerging human pathogens may have serious consequences.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1572747/fullKodamaea ohmerioutbreakbloodstream infectionneonateswhole-genome sequencingcandidemia |
| spellingShingle | Shuang-Jie Wang Xia Yu Jia-hui Liang Dong-yan Zheng Dong-yan Zheng Cun-Wei Cao Cun-Wei Cao Emerging pathogens: the underestimated risk of Kodamaea ohmeri infection in hospitals Frontiers in Microbiology Kodamaea ohmeri outbreak bloodstream infection neonates whole-genome sequencing candidemia |
| title | Emerging pathogens: the underestimated risk of Kodamaea ohmeri infection in hospitals |
| title_full | Emerging pathogens: the underestimated risk of Kodamaea ohmeri infection in hospitals |
| title_fullStr | Emerging pathogens: the underestimated risk of Kodamaea ohmeri infection in hospitals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Emerging pathogens: the underestimated risk of Kodamaea ohmeri infection in hospitals |
| title_short | Emerging pathogens: the underestimated risk of Kodamaea ohmeri infection in hospitals |
| title_sort | emerging pathogens the underestimated risk of kodamaea ohmeri infection in hospitals |
| topic | Kodamaea ohmeri outbreak bloodstream infection neonates whole-genome sequencing candidemia |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1572747/full |
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