[Fluconazole susceptibility of invasive Candida sp isolates as determined by three methods: Bogotá - Colombia]

The frequency of invasive mycosis caused by Candida sp has increased significantly in immuno-compromised patients and in those under medical/surgical treatment; along with it, the use of azoles has fostered resistance.

To compare in vitro susceptibility techniques, susceptibility to fluconazol was determined by the M27-A2 method of CLSI (Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute), the disk diffusion technique in 90 invasive Candida sp isolated species (49 C albicans, 30 C. tropicalis, 5 C parapsilosis, 4 C . guilliermondii and 2 C. lusitaniae) and the E-test in 16 isolated.

Over 90% of strains were susceptible to fluconazol. A straight correlation between disk-diffusion technique and the E-test was observed regarding the reference method (0.944 and 0.938, respectively).

In our institution the use of fluconazol for invasive candidiasis is recommended, as well as the routine use of the disk-diffusion or E-test techniques in high complex hospitals in Colombia.