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Measuring Volatile and Non-volatile Antifungal Activity of Biocontrol Products
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Measuring Volatile and Non-volatile Antifungal Activity of Biocontrol Products

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Antifungal drugs work together to treat germs causing fungal infections

Michael A Pfaller1,2, Shawn A Messer2, Lalitagauri M Deshpande2

  • 1University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.

Future Microbiology
|June 29, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Most standard antifungal drugs failed against the hospital-acquired fungus Candida auris. Isavuconazole showed high effectiveness, and combinations with anidulafungin improved treatment outcomes for C. auris infections.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen causing severe hospital-associated infections.
  • Limited effective treatment options exist for invasive C. auris infections, necessitating the evaluation of novel therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the in vitro susceptibility of clinical isolates of Candida auris to various antifungal agents.
  • To identify effective monotherapy and combination therapy options against C. auris.

Main Methods:

  • Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed on 36 clinical isolates of Candida auris.
  • Isolates were treated with single antifungal drugs and combinations, including echinocandins, azoles, and isavuconazole.
  • Genetic analysis was conducted to explore potential correlations between resistance mechanisms and drug efficacy.

Main Results:

  • Most tested isolates exhibited resistance to commonly used antifungal drugs.
  • Isavuconazole demonstrated potent activity against nearly all C. auris isolates.
  • Combination therapy of anidulafungin with isavuconazole or voriconazole showed enhanced efficacy compared to monotherapy.

Conclusions:

  • Isavuconazole represents a promising therapeutic agent for treating Candida auris infections.
  • Combination antifungal therapies may be crucial for overcoming resistance and improving treatment outcomes in invasive C. auris disease.
Keywords:
Candida aurisanidulafunginisavuconazolelay summaryplain language summaryvoriconazole

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