Comparative study of agar diffusion test and the NCCLS macrobroth method for in vitro susceptibility testing of Candida spp

Mycopathologia. 1999;145(3):131-5. doi: 10.1023/a:1007068826861.

Abstract

We performed a prospective double-blind study to evaluate the correlation between inhibition zones obtained by a disk-diffusion test, using Neo-sensitabs of fluconazole (Rosco Diagnostica), and the MICs generated by the NCCLS macrobroth dilution assay. Eighty clinical isolates, representing 5 of the clinically relevant species of Candida, were tested simultaneously by both methods. A clear inverse correlation was found between the results obtained by both tests (r = -0.69). In addition, there was high degree of agreement between methods in the identification of susceptible isolates. However, the resistance definition by disk-diffusion test had a positive predictive value of only 17%. Our data support the hypothesis that Rosco Fluconazole Neo-sensitabs have potential as a screening test for the identification of Candida isolates susceptible to fluconazole. Resistant isolates should be further investigated by standardized broth procedures.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Candida / drug effects*
  • Candidiasis / microbiology*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Fluconazole / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests / methods*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests / standards
  • Prospective Studies
  • Quality Control
  • Reference Values

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Fluconazole