title: In vitro susceptibility to antifungal agents of clinical and environmental Cryptococcus neoformans isolated in Southern of Brazil.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to compare the susceptibility to four antifungal agents of 69 Cryptococcus neoformans strains isolated from AIDS patients with that of 13 C. neoformans strains isolated from the environment. Based on the NCCLS M27-A methodology the Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) obtained for amphotericin B, itraconazole and ketoconazole were very similar for clinical and environmental isolates. Clinical isolates were less susceptible to fluconazole than environmental isolates. The significance of these findings and aspects concerning the importance, role and difficulties of C. neoformans susceptibility testing are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Departamento Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Laboratório de Pesquisas Micológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brasil. hartzsa@fatecnet.ufsm.br
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lubeck
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Casali
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Vainstein
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001938:Brazil; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000187:drug effects*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents