An Assessment of In Vitro Antifungal Activities of Efinaconazole and Itraconazole against Common Non-Dermatophyte Fungi Causing Onychomycosis

J Fungi (Basel). 2017 May 5;3(2):20. doi: 10.3390/jof3020020.

Abstract

Onychomycosis is a fungal nail infection which is relatively common and difficult to treat. Treatment modalities include nail avulsion, surgical debridement and combination therapy with oral and topical antifungal drugs. In spite of a host of available drugs, clinical cure rates remain discouraging. Drug toxicities, prolonged regimens, lack of patient compliance, and high keratin affinity of drugs are all contributive factors. Efinaconazole is a novel topical triazole antifungal agent that has shown excellent in vitro activity against both dermatophyte and non-dermatophyte fungi causing onychomycosis. This study presents the in vitro susceptibility profiles of 44 common non-dermatophyte fungi against efinaconazole and itraconazole, another azole drug used in the treatment of onychomycosis.

Keywords: Aspergillus; CLSI; Fusarium; antifungal susceptibility testing; efinaconazole; itraconazole; onychomycosis.