ANTIFUNGAL SUSCEPTIBILITIES OF PAECILOMYCES SPECIES

The MICs and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) of amphotericin B, miconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole, and flucytosin e for 52 isolates of Paecilomyces species were evaluated by the broth microdilution method, largely based on the recommendations of the Nati onal Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (document M27-A), The fungal isolates tested included 16 P. variotii, 11 P. lilacinus, 9 P, marquandii, 6 P, fumosoroseus, 4 P, javanicus, and 2 P. viridis isola tes and 1 isolate of each of the following species: P. carneus, P, far inosus, P. fulvus, and P. niveus. The MFCs and the MICs at which 90% o f isolates were inhibited (MIC(90)s) for the six antifungal agents wer e remarkably high; the MIC(50)s indicated that amphotericin B, miconaz ole, itraconazole, and ketoconazole had good activities, while flucona zole and flucytosine demonstrated poor efficacy, The ranges of the MIC s were generally wider and lower than those of the MFCs. There were si gnificant susceptibility differences among the species, All species wi th the exception of P. variotii were highly resistant to fluconazole a nd flucytosine; P. variotii was susceptible to flucytosine. Amphoteric in B and the rest of the azoles showed good activity against P. variot ii, while all the antifungal agents assayed showed low efficacy agains t P. lilacinus.