Disseminated candidiasis due to amphotericin B-resistant Candida albicans

J Infect Dis. 1992 Apr;165(4):761-4. doi: 10.1093/infdis/165.4.761.

Abstract

Although development of resistance in Candida albicans to amphotericin B is considered rare, C. albicans was persistently recovered from a 28-year-old man after a prolonged course of broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy for a pancreatic abscess. Determination of the MICs of drugs for C. albicans in Sabouraud broth revealed MICs of 2.5 mg/l amphotericin B, greater than 40 mg/l ketoconazole, 2.5 mg/l miconazole, and greater than 40 mg/l 5-fluorocytosine. Synergy testing revealed a MIC of 0.3 mg/l amphotericin B in the presence of 2.5 mg/l 5-fluorocytosine. When intravenous 5-fluorocytosine was added to the patient's antifungal regimen, achieving levels of 125 mg/l, negative blood cultures resulted for the first time. This suggests there may be a clinical use for in vitro synergy testing as an adjunct to guide antifungal therapy for fungemia due to amphotericin B-resistant C. albicans.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abscess / drug therapy*
  • Adult
  • Amphotericin B / pharmacology*
  • Amphotericin B / therapeutic use
  • Candida albicans / drug effects*
  • Candidiasis / drug therapy*
  • Drug Resistance, Microbial
  • Flucytosine / pharmacology
  • Flucytosine / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Pancreatic Diseases / drug therapy*

Substances

  • Amphotericin B
  • Flucytosine