title: Rapid susceptibility testing of Candida albicans by flow cytometry.
abstract: The emerging magnitude of human fungal infections has renewed interest in developing rapid and standardized methods for susceptibility testing. We demonstrated that susceptibility testing of Candida albicans can be accomplished rapidly by using flow cytometry. Test results were available within 8 to 24 h after C. albicans isolates were incubated with amphotericin B, itraconazole, and flucytosine. This is an improvement of 24 to 60 h in the time to availability of susceptibility test results compared to the time to availability of National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards-recommended broth macrodilution test results. In addition, the flow cytometric endpoints, mean channel fluorescence, and number of fluorescence-labeled C. albicans cells were easy to interpret for greater sensitivity and reliability. Flow cytometry provides a more accurate means of obtaining antifungal susceptibility test results.
authors.affiliation: Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706, USA.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kirk
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Callister
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Schell
mesh_terms: D000165:Acridine Orange; D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000494:pharmacology; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects*; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D005437:Flucytosine / Q000494:pharmacology; D017964:Itraconazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D017964:Itraconazole; D000666:Amphotericin B; D005437:Flucytosine; D000165:Acridine Orange