In vitro activity of econazole in comparison with three common antifungal agents against clinical Candida strains isolated from superficial infections

Abastabar, Mahdi; Shokohi, Tahereh; Rouhi Kord, Reyhaneh; Badali, Hamid; Hashemi, Seyed Jamal; Ghasemi, Zeinab; Ghojoghi, Aynaz; Baghi, Nesa; Abdollahi, Maryam; Hosseinpoor, Susan

doi:10.18869/acadpub.cmm.1.4.7

In vitro activity of econazole in comparison with three common antifungal agents against clinical Candida strains isolated from superficial infections

Authors

Mahdi Abastabar ¹

Tahereh Shokohi ¹

Reyhaneh Rouhi Kord ²

Hamid Badali ¹

Seyed Jamal Hashemi ³

Zeinab Ghasemi ³

Aynaz Ghojoghi ⁴

Nesa Baghi ²

Maryam Abdollahi ⁵

Susan Hosseinpoor ²

¹ Invasive Fungi Research Center (IFRC), Department of Medical Mycology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

² Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

³ Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

⁴ Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

⁵ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

10.18869/acadpub.cmm.1.4.7

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Candida species are the most common organisms involved in superficial fungal infections, worldwide. Although econazole is among the most frequently used topical formulations for the treatment of candidiasis, no information is available regarding the susceptibility profiles of Candida species in Iran.
Materials and Methods: In vitro susceptibility of 100 clinical Candida isolates belonging to 6 species from superficial candidiasis of Iran towards to econazole was compared with three other common antifungal agents including itraconazole, fluconazole, and miconazole. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) values were analyzed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) M38-A3 document. All isolates were previously identified to the species level, using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) on ITS region.
Results: The MIC of econazole, itraconazole, miconazole, and fluconazole were within the range of 0.016-16, 0.032-16, 0.016-16, and 0.25-64 g/ml, respectively. In general, econazole and miconazole were more active against Candida isolates, compared to the other two agents.
Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that for Candida albicans isolates, miconazole and econazole had the best effect, but in non-albicans Candida species, itraconazole and miconazole displayed more activity than other antifungal agents.

Keywords

Antifungal susceptibility

Econazole

Superficial candidiasis