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Epidemiology and in vitro activity of antimycotics against candidal vaginal/skin/nail infections in Singapore
Author(s) -
Kwok YewKaiColin,
Tay YongKwang,
Goh CheeLeok,
Kamarudin Ali,
Koh MongTeck,
Seow ChewSwee
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-4362.1998.00038.x
Subject(s) - nystatin , medicine , candida tropicalis , candida krusei , ketoconazole , miconazole , corpus albicans , candida albicans , microbiology and biotechnology , candida glabrata , nail (fastener) , vaginitis , itraconazole , vagina , mycosis , pityriasis , dermatology , biology , gynecology , surgery , antifungal , materials science , metallurgy
Background Candidal infections of the skin/nails and vagina are very common worldwide. Various in vitro test systems are available to help to determine the antifungal activity of drugs. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) is a standard measure of the in vitro potency of drugs against yeasts. Methods Vaginal smears and skin/nail scrapings of 50 consecutive patients with candidal vaginitis and 46 consecutive patients (28 women, 18 men) with cutaneous/nail candidosis were used in the study. Direct microscopy and culture from vaginal smears and skin scrapings were performed on all patients. The MICs were determined using the broth dilution method. Results For vaginal candidosis, the mean age of the patients was 28.2 years (range, 9–49 years). Candida albicans accounted for 58% of the isolates, C. glabrata for 32%, C. tropicalis for 6%, and C. parasilosis for 4%. At the MIC of 4 mg/L, 65–95% of C. albicans , 66–94% of C. glabrata , 33–100% of C. tropicalis , and 0–50% of C. parasilosis were susceptible to the drugs tested (ketoconazole, itraconazole, nystatin, amorolfine, clotrimazole, and miconazole). For cutaneous/nail candidosis, the mean age of the patients was 45 years (range, 19–82 years). C. albicans made up 59% of the isolates, C. parasilosis 20%, C. krusei 13%, C. glabrata 4%, and C. tropicalis 4%. At the MIC of 4 mg/L, 59–96% of C. albicans, 100% of C. glabrata , 83–100% of C. krusei , 89–100% of C. parasilosis , and 100% of C. tropicalis were susceptible to the drugs tested (ketoconazole, itraconazole, nystatin, amorolfine, clotrimazole, and miconazole). ConclusionsC. albicans is the most common Candida species causing cutaneous/nail and vaginal candidosis in Singapore. The in vitro antifungal activities of ketoconazole, itraconazole, nystatin, amorolfine, clotrimazole, and miconazole are similar against the various Candida species. C. parasilosis in vaginal candidosis appears to be less susceptible. Here, itraconazole and amorolfine may be more effective.