In vitro antifungal activity of topical and systemic antifungal drugs against M alassezia species

• Published in: Mycoses 2013-09, Vol.56 (5), p.571-575
• Main Authors: Carrillo‐Muñoz, Alfonso Javier, Rojas, Florencia, Tur‐Tur, Cristina, de los Ángeles Sosa, María, Diez, Gustavo Ortiz, Espada, Carmen Martín, Payá, María Jesús, Giusiano, Gustavo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0933-7407; 1439-0507
• DOI: 10.1111/myc.12076

The strict nutritional requirements of M alassezia species make it difficult to test the antifungal susceptibility. Treatments of the chronic and recurrent infections associated with M alassezia spp. are usually ineffective. The objective of this study was to obtain in vitro susceptibility profile of 76 clinical isolates of M alassezia species against 16 antifungal drugs used for topical or systemic treatment. Isolates were identified by restriction fragment length polymorphism. Minimal inhibitory concentrations ( MIC ) were obtained by a modified microdilution method based on the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute reference document M27‐A3. The modifications allowed a good growth of all tested species. High in vitr o antifungal activity of most tested drugs was observed, especially triazole derivatives, except for fluconazole which presented the highest MIC s and widest range of concentrations. Ketoconazole and itraconazole demonstrated a great activity. Higher MIC s values were obtained with M alassezia furfur indicating a low susceptibility to most of the antifungal agents tested. M alassezia sympodialis and M alassezia pachydermatis were found to be more‐susceptible species than M . furfur , M alassezia globosa , M alassezia slooffiae and M alassezia restricta . Topical substances were also active but provide higher MIC s than the compounds for systemic use. The differences observed in the antifungals activity and interspecies variability demonstrated the importance to studying the susceptibility profile of each species to obtain reliable information for defining an effective treatment regimen.