title: Caspofungin in combination with amphotericin B against Candida parapsilosis.
abstract: Candida parapsilosis has emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen. In the present study, a checkerboard broth microdilution method was performed to investigate the in vitro activities of caspofungin (CAS) in combination with amphotericin B (AMB) against three clinical isolates of C. parapsilosis. Although there was a significant reduction of the MIC of one or both drugs used in combination, an indifferent interaction (fractional inhibitory concentration index greater than 0.50 and less than or equal to 4.0) was observed in 100% of cases. This finding was confirmed by killing curve studies. By a disk diffusion assay, the halo diameters produced by antifungal agents in combination were often significantly greater than those produced by each drug alone. Antagonism was never observed. In a murine model of systemic candidiasis, CAS at either 0.25 or 1 mg/kg/day combined with AMB at 1 mg/kg/day was significantly more effective than each single drug at reducing the colony counts in kidneys. Higher doses of the echinocandin (i.e., 5 and 10 mg/kg/day) combined with the polyene did not show any advantage over CAS alone. Overall, our study showed a positive interaction of CAS and AMB against C. parapsilosis.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Malattie Infettive e Medicina Pubblica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Azienda, Ospedaliero-Universitaria, Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I-Lancisi-Salesi, Via Conca, 60020 Torrette, Ancona, Italy. l.infettive@ao-umbertoprimo.marche.it
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barchiesi
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spreghini
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomassetti
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giannini
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scalise
mesh_terms: D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D000077336:Caspofungin; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004338:Drug Combinations; D054714:Echinocandins; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D055666:Lipopeptides; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D054714:Echinocandins; D055666:Lipopeptides; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D000666:Amphotericin B; D000077336:Caspofungin