Azole Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Candida Species Using E test / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Because of recently increasing reports of azole-resistant Candida species, it is necessary to perform antifungal susceptibility test. E test(AB Biodisk, Sweden) is a rapid, easy-to- perform in-vitro antifungal susceptibility test. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC) of azole antifungal agents against Candida sp. isolated from skin lesion using E test. METHODS: Twenty-seven clinical isolates of Candida sp.(including 24 C. albicans, 2 C. parapsilosis, and 1 C. guilliermondii) were tested. MIC endpoints of E test for itraconazole(ICZ) and fluconazole (FCZ) susceptibility were read after 24 hours for each isolates on Casitone agar. RESULTS: MIC of azole antifungal agents against Candida sp. MIC of ICZ was 0.008-1.0microgram/mL on C. albicans, 0.023-0.125microgram/mL on C. parapsilosis, and 0.064microgram/mL on C. guilliermondii. MIC of FCZ was 0.5-4.0microgram/mL on C. albicans, 1.5-2.0microgram/mL on C. parapsilosis, and 0.5microgram/mL on C. guilliermondii. According to NCCLS(National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards) guidelines, two strains of C. albicans isolated from patients with Candidal intertrigo showed ICZ-resistant. CONCLUSION: We found that E test represented a simple and valuable method for susceptibility test for Candida sp.