In vitro fluconazole susceptibility of 1565 clinical isolates of Candida species evaluated by the disk diffusion method performed using NCCLS M44-A guidelines.
We determined the in vitro activity of fluconazole against 1565 clinical Candida spp. isolates collected from different specimens of non-AIDS outpatients and inpatients in 3 different regions of Italy. Susceptibility testing was performed by agar disk diffusion using the NCCLS document M44-A guidelines. Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated yeast (68%) followed by C. glabrata (15%), C. tropicalis (5%), C. parapsilosis (5%), and C. krusei (5%). Other yeasts represented 4% of all isolates. Of the 1565 isolates tested, 1449 (92.6%) were susceptible (S) to fluconazole, 43 (2.7%) were susceptible dose-dependent (S-DD) and 73 (4.7%) were resistant (R). Almost all (98.2%) of the C. albicans isolates were classified as S or S-DD. Despite its widespread use, fluconazole displayed good activity against the isolates we tested, and the disk diffusion method was confirmed as a reliable approach to the evaluation of in vitro susceptibility of yeasts to this antimycotic agent.
Testore
Gian Piero
GP
University of Rome Tor Vergata, Department of Public Health, Rome, Italy.
Dori
Luca
L
Buonomini
Anna Rita
AR
Schito
Gian Carlo
GC
Soro
Ornella
O
Fortina
Giacomo
G
Andreoni
Stefano
S
Carlone
Nicola
N
Tullio
Vivian
V
Andreoni
Massimo
M
D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013045:Species Specificity
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D015725:Fluconazole