INTERACTION OF CANDIDA-ALBICANS, MACROPHAGES AND FLUCONAZOLE - IN-VITRO AND EX-VIVO OBSERVATIONS

In recent years, medical interest in evaluating the interaction among mycetes, phagocytes, and antimycotic drugs has increased notably due t o higher incidences of fungal infections in immunocompromised subjects and to the long-term therapy they require. In this study the in vitro and ex vivo interaction of fluconazole, at plasma concentrations, wit h mouse macrophages was evaluated in the presence of different inocula of Candida albicans. The results showed that fluconazole did not inte rfere negatively with phagocyte functions; conversely, according to di fferent experimental conditions, it was able to increase both phagocyt osis and intracellular killing of candida, probably exerting its actio n on the yeast rather than on the phagocyte. A higher enhancement of m acrophage functions was observed in vitro when the drug was present in the medium with macrophages and candida in a 1:1 ratio.