Susceptibility of Prototheca Species to Antifungal Agents

Twenty isolates of Prototheca filamenta, Prototheca moriformis, Prototheca stagnora, Prototheca wickerhamii, and Prototheca zopfii were tested for in vitro susceptibility to five commonly used antifungal agents: amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine, griseofulvin, miconazole, and nystatin. The results revealed resistance to griseofulvin of all the Prototheca isolates tested and an inhibitory effect on P. filamenta by high 5-fluorocytosine concentrations (minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC] = 12.5 to 100 mug/ml; minimal fungicidal or algacidal concentration [MFC/MAC] = 50 to 100 mug/ml). P. filamenta isolates were also susceptible to miconazole (MIC = 0.1 to 0.5 mug/ml, MFC/MAC = 0.5 to 1 mug/ml); isolates of the other Prototheca species varied in regard to miconazole activity from susceptible to resistant (MIC = 1 - >100 mug/ml, MFC/MAC = 5 - >100 mug/ml). The Prototheca isolates revealed an in vitro susceptibility to the polyene antifungal agents, amphotericin B, and nystatin (MIC = 0.09 to 3.12 mug/ml and 0.19 to 12.5 mug/ml, respectively; MFC/MAC = 0.19 to 25 mug/ml and 0.75 to 25 mug/ml, respectively).