Abu Dhabi scientists have detected a rare genetic variant of Candida auris, a drug-resistant fungal pathogen, through the emirate’s wastewater surveillance system, in what researchers describe as the first known regional identification of the strain.
The finding, published in Communications Medicine, part of the Nature Portfolio, centres on Clade VI of Candida auris, a classification that had not previously been reported in the region through environmental surveillance, based on data available to the researchers at the time of the study.
The work was carried out by the Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department (RASID) at the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council’s Central Testing Laboratory, in partnership with M42, a health company specialising in AI, technology and genomics.
The study drew on more than 23,000 wastewater samples. Crucially, researchers isolated the live fungus directly from those samples rather than simply detecting its genetic traces, then confirmed its identity through whole genome sequencing, phylogenetic analysis, antifungal susceptibility testing and examination of resistance-linked genetic markers.
The process identified multiple genetic clades, including Clade VI, and revealed varying resistance patterns to certain antifungal agents.
Candida auris has drawn sustained international attention for its capacity to develop resistance across multiple antifungal drug classes and its difficulty to contain in some clinical settings. The World Health Organisation lists it in its Critical Priority Group of fungal pathogens.
Samara Bin Salem, Director of RASID, said the scientific value of the work lies in environmental surveillance’s ability to capture emerging health indicators and resistance patterns and convert them into material that can be studied and assessed. She added that RASID’s ambition is to build a sensing system that goes beyond identifying what is present in samples, towards understanding population-level changes and emerging risks that may warrant early action.
Dr. Bhuvanesh Shanmugam, Senior Microbiologist and Laboratory Manager at M42 and a principal researcher on the study, said the Clade VI identification adds to scientific knowledge of Candida auris’s genetic diversity and its presence outside clinical environments. Integrating genomic data with susceptibility testing, he said, provides deeper insight into resistance factors and supports monitoring of emerging genomic changes.
Dr. Grzegorz Brudecki, Associate Director of Environmental Sciences at M42, said continuous surveillance helps distinguish expected patterns from signals requiring further analysis. Combining routine sampling with advanced genomic tools, he said, enhances the scientific value of environmental data over time.
The research reflects a broader shift in Abu Dhabi’s public health architecture, moving from conventional laboratory testing towards a system that integrates environmental surveillance, genomics and early-warning analysis. RASID said the findings are intended to complement clinical and health data used by the Department of Health Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre in assessing risks and strengthening preparedness.
