A deadly fungus that has been labelled as a "global threat" has been found in Britain amid a worldwide alarm.

Scientists have sounded the alarm over the deadly fungus Candida auris after a 34-year-old patient in the United Arab Emirates contracted a severe brain infection following a severe car accident, medical professionals have reported.

The man was hospitalised at Saqr Hospital in Ras Al-Khaimah with oral bleeding, multiple lacerations and a serious head wound.

Scientists have been investigating the Candida auris

Brain scans showed several haemorrhages, prompting surgeons to perform an emergency craniotomy to reduce intracranial pressure.

After nearly 100 days in the hospital, tests revealed the C. auris infection during a procedure to drain cerebral fluid.

Treatment required extensive antifungal therapy over several weeks before the infection cleared, with the patient finally leaving the hospital after seven months.

The World Health Organisation has designated C. auris as one of four critical fungal pathogens that represent a grave risk to human health.

This microorganism, initially detected in a Japanese patient's ear in 2009, has now spread to over 40 nations on every inhabited continent.

First identified in the UK in 2013, C. auris has been detected in several hospitals, particularly in London and the South-East of England.

It demonstrates remarkable persistence, adhering to medical surfaces and equipment for extended periods while colonising human skin asymptomatically.

Mortality rates reach approximately 33 per cent among infected individuals.

The pathogen can infiltrate multiple body systems, including the bloodstream, central nervous system, skeletal structure, digestive tract, respiratory organs and urinary tract.

Medical professionals attribute the surge in antifungal resistance to excessive medication use in both clinical settings and farming practices.

"The excessive use of antifungal agents in agriculture and healthcare has contributed to the development of antifungal resistance in C. auris," the UAE case report authors noted.

Many nations permit unrestricted purchase of antifungal treatments, enabling inappropriate usage and accelerating resistance development.

Vulnerable populations include immunocompromised individuals, patients with extended hospital stays, intensive care recipients and those previously administered specific antimicrobial drugs.

British health authorities have designated C. auris as a reportable condition, mandating notification of all instances to facilitate outbreak management.

Scientists at King's College London have created novel antifungal agents that demonstrate effectiveness against drug-resistant C. auris strains.

British health authorities have designated C. auris as a reportable condition

The research team, directed by Professor Miraz Rahman in partnership with UKHSA's Professor Mark Sutton, modified existing azole medications to bypass typical resistance pathways.

Published findings in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry reveal these compounds successfully penetrated fungal cells and disrupted protective biofilms in laboratory testing.

The molecules maintained efficacy against strains unresponsive to standard treatments like fluconazole and voriconazole.

Animal studies showed the compounds protected infected subjects without toxic effects at treatment doses.

King's has secured two patents for these developments, with funding from NIAID and UKHSA supporting the research.