Postantifungal Effect of Micafungin against the Species Complexes of Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis

PLoS One. 2015 Jul 13;10(7):e0132730. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132730. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Micafungin is an effective antifungal agent useful for the therapy of invasive candidiasis. Candida albicans is the most common cause of invasive candidiasis; however, infections due to non-C. albicans species, such as Candida parapsilosis, are rising. Killing and postantifungal effects (PAFE) are important factors in both dose interval choice and infection outcome. The aim of this study was to determinate the micafungin PAFE against 7 C. albicans strains, 5 Candida dubliniensis, 2 Candida Africana, 3 C. parapsilosis, 2 Candida metapsilosis and 2 Candida orthopsilosis. For PAFE studies, cells were exposed to micafungin for 1 h at concentrations ranging from 0.12 to 8 μg/ml. Time-kill experiments (TK) were conducted at the same concentrations. Samples were removed at each time point (0-48 h) and viable counts determined. Micafungin (2 μg/ml) was fungicidal (≥ 3 log10 reduction) in TK against 5 out of 14 (36%) strains of C. albicans complex. In PAFE experiments, fungicidal endpoint was achieved against 2 out of 14 strains (14%). In TK against C. parapsilosis, 8 μg/ml of micafungin turned out to be fungicidal against 4 out 7 (57%) strains. Conversely, fungicidal endpoint was not achieved in PAFE studies. PAFE results for C. albicans complex (41.83 ± 2.18 h) differed from C. parapsilosis complex (8.07 ± 4.2 h) at the highest tested concentration of micafungin. In conclusion, micafungin showed significant differences in PAFE against C. albicans and C. parapsilosis complexes, being PAFE for the C. albicans complex longer than for the C. parapsilosis complex.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Candida / drug effects*
  • Candida albicans / drug effects*
  • Echinocandins / pharmacology*
  • Lipopeptides / pharmacology*
  • Micafungin
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Echinocandins
  • Lipopeptides
  • Micafungin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Consejería de Educación, Universidades e Investigación (GIC12 210-IT-696-13), the Departamento de Industria, Comercio y Turismo (S-PR12UN002, S-PE13UN025) of Gobierno Vasco-Eusko Jaurlaritza, and UPV/EHU (UFI 11/25). Elena Eraso and Guillermo Quindós have received grant support from Consejería de Educación, Universidades e Investigación (GIC12 210-IT-696-13) and Departamento de Industria, Comercio y Turismo (S-PR12UN002, S-PE13UN121) of Gobierno Vasco-Eusko Jaurlaritza, Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (FIS PI11/00203), and UPV/EHU (UFI 11/25).