Detection of azole susceptibility patterns in clinical yeast strains isolated from 1998 to 2008

4,860 clinical yeast isolates (25 genera, 47 species) were tested in parallel to fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, and voriconazole. After re-evaluation of all species according to their current valid taxonomic denominations, the range of the top four of the dermatology, gynaecology and paediatrics associated species from superficial infections was similar to those isolated from other wards with mainly systemic/invasive infections. Candida albicans (44.7%) was the most frequent pathogen followed by C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis. The MIC-assessment revealed for the ten-year test period an overall azole-susceptibility of about 75%, and ~80% for their associated ICUs. The overall susceptibility of the isolates from systemic and superficial infections to the four azoles was 79% and 80% respectively, and demonstrates a high in vitro activity. When two test periods (1998-2001 and 2002-2008) were compared by characteristic MIC values and multi-azole resistance, no significant increase could be detected in azole susceptibility/resistance over the two periods, respectively, over the total investigation period of ten years. This holds true when the characteristic MIC values were compared with those from different azole susceptibility studies from similar time periods and from different investigators around the world (1991 to 2010). With a new method, susceptibility pattern analysis for fungi, detailed information of multi-resistant microorganism populations could be obtained, and different characteristic resistance patterns in clinical yeast species detected. Although at a relatively low level, multi-resistance was seen in individual species populations demonstrating resistance to two (6.7%), three (4.4%), or all four (4%) azoles tested. A level of 4% and 2% fourfold parallel resistance was also determined in Candia spp. and non-Candida spp. derived of blood culture isolates.