In vitro activity of terbinafine against medically important non-dermatophyte species of filamentous fungi

GARCÍA-EFFRON, GUILLERMO; GÓMEZ-LÓPEZ, ALICIA; MELLADO, EMILIA; MONZÓN, ARACELI; RODRÍGUEZ-TUDELA, JUAN LUIS; CUENCA-ESTRELLA, MANUEL

JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY

Oxford Journals

Lugar: Oxford (Reino Unido); Año: 2004 vol. 53 p. 1086 - 1089

0305-7453

OBJECTIVES: The activity in vitro of terbinafine against 442 clinical isolates of several species of filamentous fungi was analyzed. METHODS: A broth microdilution test was carried out following the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards reference method, with modifications described previously. RESULTS: The geometric mean (GM) of MICs of terbinafine for non-Aspergillus fumigatus species was 0.24 mg/L whereas the GM for A. fumigatus rose as far as 2.92 mg/L. Terbinafine showed a very strong activity in vitro against Penicillium spp., Paecilomyces spp., Trichoderma spp., Acremonium spp. and Arthrographis spp. with GMs <1 mg/L. However, some species such as Scedosporium spp., Fusarium spp., Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, and most of Mucorales exhibited high MICs of the allylamine with GMs >/= 4 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the GM of MICs of terbinafine was 1.57 mg/L, but significant differences in susceptibilities were seen between genera and species.