In vitro activities of amphotericin B deoxycholate and liposomal amphotericin B against 604 clinical yeast isolates

We determined the in vitro antifungal activity of liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB) against 604 clinical yeast isolates. Amphotericin B deoxycholate (D-AmB) was tested in parallel against all the isolates. Susceptibility testing was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) M27-A3 method. Overall, L-AmB was highly active against the isolates (mean MIC, 0.42 µg ml−1; MIC90, 1 µg ml−1; 97.2 % of MICs were ≤1 µg ml−1) and comparable to D-AmB (mean MIC, 0.48 µg ml−1; MIC90, 1 µg ml−1; 97.3 % of MICs were ≤1 µg ml−1). The in vitro activity of D-AmB and L-AmB was correlated (R 2 = 0.61; exp(b), 2.3; 95 % CI, 2.19–2.44, P<0.001). Candida albicans (mean MICs of D-AmB and L-AmB, 0.39 µg ml−1 and 0.31 µg ml−1, respectively) and Candida parapsilosis (mean MICs of D-AmB and L-AmB, 0.38 µg ml−1 and 0.35 µg ml−1, respectively) were the species most susceptible to the agents tested, while Candida krusei (currently named Issatchenkia orientalis) (mean MICs of D-AmB and L-AmB, 1.27 µg ml−1 and 1.13 µg ml−1, respectively) was the least susceptible. The excellent in vitro activity of L-AmB may have important implications for empirical treatment approaches and support its role in treatment of a wide range of invasive infections due to yeasts.