Aspergillus terreus infections are difficult to treat because of the intrinsic resistance to amphotericin B, and higher mortality compared to infections caused by other Aspergillus species. The aim of the present study was to determine the in vitro antifungal activity of amphotericin B and 11 comparators against clinical (n = 36) and environmental (n = 45) A. terreus isolates. In vitro antifungal susceptibility was performed using the CLSI M38-A2 procedure. Amphotericin B exhibited the highest MICs (MIC range, 0.125-4 μg/mL; MIC90 , 2 μg/mL), followed by terbinafine (MIC range, 0.002-1 μg/mL; MIC90 , 1 μg/mL). Only one isolate (1/81) showed amphotericin B MIC above the epidemiologic cut-off value (ECV; 4 μg/mL). None of the isolates had a MIC of ≥ ECV for voriconazole, itraconazole and posaconazole. The reasons for the difference in amphotericin B susceptibility patterns between studies remain unknown. The genetic and species diversity, clinical, environmental and ecological factors in Terrei section on various amphotericin B susceptibility profiles in different countries should be considered more as the main reasons associated with these differences.
Keywords: Aspergillus terreus species complex; In vitro antifungal activity; Iran; amphotericin B.
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