ANTIFUNGAL DRUGS "In Vitro Susceptibility of Candida Species to Four Antifungal Agents Assessed by the Reference Broth Microdilution

Method" by: Fahriye Eksi, Efgan Dogan Gayyurhan, and Iclal Balci The Scientific World Journal Volume 2013 September 2013

MARIA CHARLENE M. ORPILLA 3MT03 PROF. VIOLIE N. BASCAO

SUMMARY: The study made by Fahriye Eksi et al., was performed to determine the distribution of Candida species isolated from the blood cultures of the patients hospitalized in their hospital and to investigate their antifungal susceptibility. They used classical methods and API ID 32C (bioMerieux, France) identification kits to identify Candida strains at species level. In order to know the susceptibility of the strains to amphotericin B, fluconazole, voriconazole, and caspofungin they evaluated it by using the reference broth microdilution method in document M27- A3 of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. And base on their result, out f the 111 Candida strains isolated, 47.7% were identified as C. albicans and 52.3% as non-albicans Candida strains. The MIC(Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) ranges they have observed after susceptibility testing were 0.031g/mL for amphotericin B, 0.12564g/mL for fluconazole, 0.0316g/mL for voriconazole, and 0.0150.25g/mL for caspofungin. It shows that all Candida strains were susceptible to amphotericin B and caspofungin. They have also observed resistance from some drugs in which 10.8% isolates were resistant to fluconazole and 8.1% isolates were dose-dependent susceptible. While 0.9% isolate was resistant to voriconazole, 0.9% isolate was dose-dependent susceptible. Base on their study, C. albicans and C. parapsilosis were the most frequently encountered agents of candidemia and it they have detected that voriconazole with a low resistance rate might also be used with confidence in the treatment of infections occurring with these agents, primarily besides amphotericin B and caspofungin.

REACTION: I think this study will be very helpful in the field of medicine specially in terms of health of the people. Because they are able to find out what drug is the most effective against Candida species. However it still depends on the individual if her kind Candida infection may cause resistance or susceptibility to such drugs. We must know clearly that not all drugs are susceptible or effective in inhibiting the growth of such infection. Because taking drugs without any idea if it is effective or not may cause us an underlying disease that we are not aware of. As a future medical technologist, doing series of susceptibility testing of different drugs against a certain infection or microorganism is very important because this will help the physician on what drug he will give to his patient.