Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Candida Species Using ATB FUNGUS 2

Lee, Yong Hwan; Suh, Moo Kyu; Ha, Gyoung Yim

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Because of recently increasing reports of resistance of Candida (C.) species to antifungal agents, it is necessary to perform antifungal susceptibility testing. ATB FUNGUS 2 (bioMerieux, France) is an easy-to-perform in-vitro antifungal susceptibility test.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to investigate the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of antifungal agents against Candida species isolated from skin lesion using ATB FUNGUS 2.
METHODS
Eighty two clinical isolates of Candida species (including 56 C. albicans, 14 C. parapsilosis, 7 C. guilliermondii, 5 C. glabrata) were testeding ATB FUNGUS 2. MICs against itraconazole (ICZ), fluconazole (FCZ), flucytosine (FC) and amphotericin B (AMP) were read after 24 hours incubation.
RESULTS
MIC of ICZ was <0.125microgram/ml on 73 (89.0%) clinical isolates of Candida species except > or =2.0microgram/ml on four strains (3 C. albicans, 1 C. glabrata) and 0.25~0.5microgram/ml on five strains (1 C. parapsilosis, 3 C. guilliermondii, 1 C. glabrata). MIC of FCZ was <8microgram/ml on 78 (95.1%) Candida species except >128microgram/ml on 3 C. albicans and 16microgram/ml on 1 C. parapsilosis. MIC of FC was <0.5microgram/ml on 76 (92.7%) Candida species except >64microgram/ml on 6 C. albicans. MIC of AMP was all (100.0%) <0.5microgram/ml.
CONCLUSION
ATB FUNGUS 2 represented a simple and valuable method for antifungal susceptibility testing of Candida species.