ANTIFUNGAL SUSCEPTIBILITY TESTING: WHAT DOES THE MIC MEAN AND HOW DO I APPLY THISINFORMATION?

摘要

Fungi are important causes of infections in both humans and animals. The clinical spectrum of infections caused by these organisms can range from dermatologic infections, such as those caused by dermatophytes, bloodstream infections caused by yeasts such as Candida species, pulmonary infections caused by filamentous fungi such as Aspergillus and member of the order Mucorales, to life-threatening disseminated infections involving multiple organ systems, which can occur in immunocompromised hosts and may be caused by numerous types of fungi. In addition, systemic fungal infections can also occur in immunocompetent individuals, such as those caused by endemic fungi (e.g., Blastomyces dermatitidis, Coccidioides spp, and Histoplasma capsulatum). The rapid diagnosis and prompt initiation of appropriate therapy have been shown to improve outcomes in the treatment of these infections (1, 2). However, antifungal resistance can develop upon exposure to these drugs, and in some important species increased antifungal resistance has been reported (3,4). Thus, clinicians may request antifungal susceptibility testing in order help guide appropriate therapy or determine potential reasons for failure when certain drugs are used.