IN-VITRO SUSCEPTIBILITY OF 115 ISOLATES OF CANDIDA TO AMPHOTERICIN-B,FLUCONAZOLE AND ITRACONAZOLE

Opportunistic fungal infections are an increasingly important cause of morbidity and mortality particularly due to Candida species (1). Ther e is also an increase of candidosis especially ascribed to acquired or induced immunodeficiency syndromes or in the event of long-term antib iotic, immunosuppressor or cytotoxic therapies. Consequently there has been an increase in the use of systemic antifungal agents responsible for the emergence of new opportunistic fungi (2) and resistant specie s (3, 4). Oropharyngeal candidiasis caused by various species of Candi da is one of the most common opportunistic infections in AIDS. In rece nt years there has been an increasing number of yeast isolates resista nt to fluconazole (4, 5) or to amphotericin B (6). The aim of the pres ent study was to examine the susceptibility in vitro of itraconazole, a newly introduced antifungal agent in the local or systemic therapy o f oropharyngeal candidiosis, vs well-known agents such as amphotericin B and fluconazole, against various Candida clinical isolates. The pre sent results, in agreement with other studies, show strong in vitro ac tivity of itraconazole against Candida spp. and particularly against l ess susceptible species C. glabrata, C. tropicalis or C. krusei.