title: In vitro activity of echinocandins against non-Candida albicans: is echinocandin antifungal activity the same?
abstract: The echinocandins anidulafungin, caspofungin, and micafungin have a broad and similar spectrum of in vitro and in vivo activity against most Candida spp. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for Candida spp. are usually below 1 μg/mL for most isolates. The exceptions are Candidaparapsilosis and C. guilliermondii. Species-specific clinical breakpoints (CBPs) and epidemiologic cutoff values (ECVs) have been proposed by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) for the eight most common Candida spp. versus each echinocandin; these values are useful to detect in vitro antifungal resistance (CBPs) and to identify isolates harboring fks mutations or having reduced susceptibility (ECVs). This paper presents a review of the literature (2006-2010) regarding the in vitro activity similarities or differences among the three echinocandins against Candida spp.; different parameters or measurements of in vitro potency were evaluated. The focus of the review is the non-Candida albicans species.
authors.affiliation: VCU Medical Center, Richmond, VA, USA. avingrof@vcu.edu
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Espinel-Ingroff
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cantón
mesh_terms: D000077612:Anidulafungin; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000382:microbiology; D000077336:Caspofungin; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D026141:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Fungal; D054714:Echinocandins / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D055666:Lipopeptides / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077551:Micafungin; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013810:Therapeutic Equivalency
chemical_list: D054714:Echinocandins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D055666:Lipopeptides; D015725:Fluconazole; D000077612:Anidulafungin; D005964:Glucosyltransferases; D000077336:Caspofungin; D000077551:Micafungin