Abstract
It was previously demonstrated that brief (≤1 h) exposures to echinocandins are as effective to kill Candida albicans cells as continuous 24-h exposure. However, killing rates after continuous and short (1 h) echinocandin exposures to C. albicans have not yet been evaluated in RPMI-1640 with and without 50 % serum. We evaluated four echinocandin susceptible C. albicans bloodstream isolates, ATCC 10231 type strain and an echinocandin-resistant isolate (DPL20, FKS F645P). Caspofungin MICs, time-kill and postantifungal effect (PAFE) tests were performed in RPMI-1640 with and without 50 % serum. Killing rates (k values) in time-kill and PAFE experiments were determined for each strain and concentration. In time-kill experiments, colony count decreases were isolate- and concentration-dependent at 0.25, 1, 4, 8, 16 and 32 mg/L in RPMI-1640, but concentration-independent at 1, 4, 8, 16 and 32 mg/L in 50 % serum. One-hour caspofungin exposure at 4, 16 and 32 mg/L resulted in CFU decreases comparable with the results obtained in time-kill experiments in RPMI-1640, but 50 % serum at 4, 16 and 32 mg/L allowed growth of all isolates (k values were negative) (P < 0.05–0.001). PAFE in 50 % serum decreased markedly at 4, 16 and 32 mg/L. Killing rates remained high and concentration-independent in 50 % serum in case of continuous but not in case of brief caspofungin exposure. As only a short growth inhibition without killing was observed in 50 % serum, clinical relevance of caspofungin PAFE in vivo is questionable.
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Acknowledgments
R. Kovács was supported by the TÁMOP 4.2.4. A/2-11-1-2012-0001 “National excellence Program-Elaborating and operating an inland student and researcher personal support system.” The project was subsidized by European Union and co-financed by the European Social Fund.
Conflict of interest
L. Majoros received conference travel grants from MSD, Astellas and Pfizer.
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Kovács, R., Gesztelyi, R., Perlin, D.S. et al. Killing Rates for Caspofungin Against Candida albicans After Brief and Continuous Caspofungin Exposure in the Presence and Absence of Serum. Mycopathologia 178, 197–206 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-014-9799-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-014-9799-4