[Antimycotics susceptibility testing of dermatophytes]

Area of Science:

• Medical Mycology
• Infectious Diseases
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Context:

• Dermatophyte infections, including onychomycosis and tinea pedis, are prevalent, affecting 20% of the global population.
• Current treatments for these chronic infections are often prolonged and not highly effective, leading to significant public health expenditure.
• Accurate diagnosis through dermatophyte isolation and antifungal susceptibility testing is crucial for effective treatment and resistance monitoring.

Purpose:

• To inform about technical advancements in dermatophyte susceptibility testing.
• To present the new organization of medical mycology laboratories in Serbia.
• To highlight the importance of standardized methods and laboratory networks for antifungal susceptibility testing.

Summary:

• The paper discusses the challenges in treating chronic dermatophytoses and emphasizes the need for reliable antifungal susceptibility testing.
• It introduces standardized diffusion and dilution methods (EUCAST E.DEF 9.1, CLSI M38-A2) for testing dermatophyte isolates.
• A new national laboratory network coordinated by a National Reference Laboratory is proposed to enhance interlaboratory studies and standardization.

Impact:

• The new laboratory organization is expected to improve dermatophytosis therapy and patient quality of life.
• Standardized antifungal susceptibility testing will aid in resistance monitoring and epidemiological research.
• Improved diagnostic and testing capabilities can lead to reduced treatment costs and better clinical outcomes.