[In vitro activity of voriconazole and three other antifungal agents against dermatophytes]

The increase in infections due to dermatophytes in recent years led us to study the effectiveness of new antifungal formulations against these microorganisms.

The in vitro activity of a new antifungal agent, voriconazole, was compared with three other antifungal agents, itraconazole, fluconazole and terbinafine, against 120 dermatophytes belonging to four species (61 Trichophyton mentagrophytes, 34 Microsporum canis, 13 M. gypseum and 12 T. rubrum). A broth microdilution method was used following the recommendations of the NCCLS document M38-P with some modifications.

Terbinafine was the most active agent against the dermatophytes studied (MIC90 < or = 0.03 mg/ml), followed by voriconazole (MIC90, 0.25 micro g/ml) and itraconazole (MIC90, 0.5 micro g/ml). Fluconazole was the least active antifungal agent. The most susceptible species was M. canis.

Voriconazole was found to have effective activity against dermatophytes.