title: Comparison of the in vitro activity of fluconazole against Candida albicans and dermatophytes.
abstract: Fluconazole (CAS 86386-73-4, Diflucan, Fungata is an antimycotic agent of established value in the treatment of systemic infections with yeasts; more recently this drug has been used in the oral treatment of dermatomycoses. The in vitro activity of fluconazole against 51 strains of C. albicans and 207 isolates of four different species of dermatophytes was therefore measured and the results collated. The mean minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) show that in vitro fluconazole is a significantly stronger inhibitor of the proliferation of C. albicans (0.34 micrograms/ml) than of the dermatophytes T. rubrum (6.4 micrograms/ml), T. mentagrophytes (23.9 micrograms/ml), M. canis (18.3 micrograms/ml) and E. floccosum (3.5 micrograms/ml). On the other hand, the distribution of the MIC values shows that the sensitivity to fluconazole within a single species is also very variable. It is evident that the concentrations of fluconazole reached particularly in the stratum corneum of the skin after oral therapy are adequate to inhibit the growth of the yeasts and of the dermatophytes examined.
authors.affiliation: Pfizer/Mack, Illertissen, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wildfeuer
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Seidl
mesh_terms: D003883:Arthrodermataceae / Q000187:drug effects*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects*; D003470:Culture Media; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D015725:Fluconazole