The activity of micafungin against clinical isolates of non-albicans Candida spp.

Abstract

Infections caused by non-albicans Candida spp. are an important medical problem in people from risk groups, e.g. hematooncological patients. The aim of this paper was to analyse the in vitro activity of micafungin against 30 clinical isolates of non-albicans Candida spp. (C. glabrata, C. famata, C. tropicalis, C. inconspicua, C. lusitaniae, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei) by way of the E-test procedure, allowing determination of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). Data presented in this paper indicate that most of the studied clinical isolates - 27 (90%) showed sensitivity to micafungin, with MIC values ranging from 0.004 to 2 mg/l, while 3 (10%) isolates, including 2 isolates of C. tropicalis and 1 isolate of C. famata, were resistant to micafungin, with MIC values > 32 mg/l. The MIC50 and MIC90 values of micafungin, defined as MIC inhibited growth of 50% or 90% of the isolates studied, were 0.008 mg/l or 2 mg/l, respectively. In the case of C. glabrata isolates, MICs ranged from 0.004 to 0.016 mg/l, while MIC50 was 0.004 mg/l and MIC90 - 0.008 mg/l. Our data confirm the utility of micafungin for the therapy of the infections caused by non-albicans Candida spp., especially C. glabrata.

Echinocandins in antifungal pharmacotherapy

“…These incidences are attributed to the prolonged use of caspofungin. Micafungin, just like caspofungin, has shown potent antifungal activity against the aforementioned Candida species, with MIC values ranging from 0.004 to 2.00 μg/ml . In a clinical study by Ikeda et al ., micafungin has shown lower MIC value ranges for C. albicans , C. tropicalis and C. glabrata in comparison with caspofungin.…”