title: Multicenter comparison of Fungitest for susceptibility testing of Candida species.
abstract: In four laboratories the reproducibility of Fungitest, a colorimetric breakpoint method for antifungal susceptibility testing, was examined. The interlaboratory agreement of test results from 50 Candida strains was dependent on the antifungal agents and ranged from 56% to 100%. Itraconazole showed the poorest, amphotericin B and flucytosine (100% and 96%, respectively) the highest concordance. When minor discrepancies were disregarded the agreement increased to 94% to 100% for all agents. In total, major discrepancies were only seen in 2.7%. The overall agreement between concordant results and the NCCLS standard method was high, ranging between 96.4% and 100%. Generally, sensitive strains showed a better agreement with Fungitest. Since the concordance in multisite studies with Fungitest will always depend on the isolates chosen, further studies with this test are necessary.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Microbiology, Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. birgit.willinger@akh-wien.ac.at
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Willinger
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Engelmann
authors.forename: Heidelore
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Metzger
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Apfalter
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hirschl
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Makristathis
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rotter
authors.forename: Birgid
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Raddatz
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seibold
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic