In vitro susceptibility of environmental Cryptococcus neoformans variety neoformans isolates from Turkey to six antifungal agents, including SCH56592and voriconazole

The in vitro antifungal susceptibility of 27 environmental (pigeon dropping s) isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans, isolated from throu ghout Turkey, to six antifungal agents (amphotericin B, flucytosine, flucon azole, voriconazole, itraconazole, and SCH56592) was studied. Voriconazole, itraconazole, and SCH56592 all showed comparable activity and were more ac tive than the remaining three antifungal agents tested. Overall, SCH56592 w as the most active agent (MIC90, 0.015 mu g/ml, at both 48 and 72 h), follo wed by itraconazole (MIC90, 0.03 mu g/ml, at both 48 and 72 h) and voricona zole (MIC90, 0.25 mu g/ml, at both 48 and 72 h), respectively. Antifungal s usceptibility data for environmental isolates may reflect patterns for the clinical isolates recovered from patients from the same geographic area.