COMPARISON OF FLUCONAZOLE AND AMPHOTERICIN-B IN PROPHYLAXIS OF EXPERIMENTAL CANDIDA ENDOCARDITIS CAUSED BY NON-CANDIDA-ALBICANS STRAINS

Amphotericin B (1 mg/kg of body weight, intravenous) and fluconazole ( 100 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) were compared in the prophylaxis of experi mental Candida endocarditis caused by drug-susceptible, non-C. albican s strains C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis. Neither antifungal agent was effective at preventing endocarditis due to either Candida strain when either agent was administered in a single-dose regimen (1 h prior to fungal challenge); the prophylactic efficacy of both agents increa sed substantially when a second prophylactic dose was given (24 h post challenge). The excellent prophylactic efficacy of fluconazole, a fung istatic agent, underscores the importance of microbistatic mechanisms in endocarditis prophylaxis.