[Assessment of the sensitivity to antifungal agents of clinical isolates of Candida albicans serotype A and B by the ATB Fungus method].
BACKGROUND
Candida albicans is the most frequently species isolated in patients with candidiasis. This species may be antigenically divided in serotypes A and B, which have a different pathogenic behavior and antifungal susceptibility pattern.


METHODS
The antifungal susceptibility of 443 clinical isolates from both serotypes of C. albicans to 5-fluorocytosine (5FC), amphotericin B, nystatin, econazole, miconazole and ketoconazole has been tested by means of the ATB Fungus method.


RESULTS
Both serotypes showed a similar in vitro susceptibility to amphotericin B, nystatin, econazole, miconazole and ketoconazole. All the isolates were susceptible to amphotericin B and nystatin. A small number of in vitro resistant isolates were observed to azole compounds. However, serotype B was significantly more resistant than serotype A (p = 0.0001) to 5FC.


CONCLUSIONS
C. albicans serotype B shows a lower susceptibility than serotype A to 5FC, an antifungal product not marketed in Spain. Serotyping of C. albicans does not offer additional information on antifungal susceptibility of clinical isolates from this species.
Quindós
G
G
Departamento de Inmunología, Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina y Odontología, Universidad del País Vasco, Bilbao.
San Millán
R
R
Burgos
A
A
Lipperheide
V
V
Tellaetxe
M
M
Alonso
R
R
Barturen
B
B
Pontón
J
J
D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D012703:Serotyping
D000935:Antifungal Agents
Evaluación de la sensibilidad a los antifúngicos de aislamientos clínicos de los serotipos A y B de Candida albicans mediante el método ATB Fungus.