In vitro susceptibility of Candida albicans to five antifungal agents

Objectives: To study the susceptibility of Candida albicans to five antifungal agents, providing basis for clinical selection of antifungal agents and effective control of Candida albicans infections. Methods: The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 5 antifungal agents against 102 strains of Candida albicans from clinical samples were determined by broth microdilution tests performed according to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards Method using RPMI 1640 as a test medium. Results: The respective 90% MICs (MIC 90 ) of ketoconazole, 5 flucytosine, itraconazole, amphotericin B and fluconazole against 102 isolates of Candida albicans were 0.25, 0.5, 0.5,2 and 8 μg/ml. 100% of Candida albicans isolates were susceptible to 5 flucytosine and 88.3% and 75.5% were susceptible to fluconazole and itraconazole. The 9 isolates resistant to fluconazole were cross resistant to itraconazole. Conclusions: All clinical isolates tested were susceptible to flucytosine, no resistant strains were observed. Ketoconazole was most highly active against all isolates examined. There were resistance and cross resistance against triazole drugs.