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Antifungal susceptibility profiles of 1698 yeast reference strains revealing potential emerging human pathogens

Marie Desnos-Ollivier1, Vincent Robert, Dorothée Raoux-Barbot

  • 1Institut Pasteur, Unité de Mycologie Moléculaire, Centre National de Référence Mycologie et Antifongiques, Paris, France.

Plos One
|March 8, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Emerging fungal pathogens show varying antifungal resistance. Basidiomycetes yeasts exhibit higher drug resistance than Ascomycetes, with some species intrinsically resistant to all tested antifungal drugs.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Antimicrobial Resistance
  • Fungal Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Novel fungal species are increasingly identified as opportunistic pathogens in humans and animals due to immune defects and advanced diagnostics.
  • Antifungal susceptibility data is crucial for understanding ecological, epidemiological, and therapeutic aspects of fungal infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the antifungal drug resistance profiles of various yeast species.
  • To assess the potential risk posed by different fungal species based on their drug resistance patterns.
  • To identify yeasts with intrinsic resistance to antifungal agents.

Main Methods:

  • Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed on 1698 yeast reference strains from 992 species (634 Ascomycetes, 358 Basidiomycetes) against five classes of antifungal drugs: polyenes, azoles, echinocandins, allylamines, and antimetabolites.
  • Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined.
  • Profiles were compared between Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes, and between reference strains and clinical isolates.

Main Results:

  • Basidiomycetes species showed significantly higher geometric mean MICs for all tested antifungal drugs compared to Ascomycetes (p<0.001).
  • Twenty-four strains, including 19 Basidiomycetes species, displayed intrinsic resistance to all tested antifungal drugs.
  • Antifungal susceptibility profiles of clinical isolates were consistent with those of reference strains for shared species.

Conclusions:

  • Fungal species, particularly Basidiomycetes, exhibit significant intrinsic antifungal resistance.
  • Understanding in vitro antifungal susceptibility and intrinsic resistance is vital for managing potential opportunistic fungal infections.
  • This knowledge aids in ecological, epidemiological, and therapeutic strategies against emerging fungal pathogens.

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