Yeast-like filamentous fungi: Molecular identification and in vitro susceptibility study.

ABSTRACT

Yeast-like filamentous fungi, collected in Italy from 1985 to 2018, were submitted to molecular identification and antifungal susceptibility testings. Clinical isolates were identified as Magnusiomyces capitatus (28), M. clavatus (18), and Geotrichum candidum (2). M. clavatus was prevalent among blood isolates (18/24), M. capitatus among isolates from other biological materials. The intrinsic echinocandin resistance was confirmed. Both species had low minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of itraconazole, posaconazole, and voriconazole, while M. clavatus had lower MIC of flucytosine and higher MIC of isavuconazole than M. capitatus. The intrinsic resistance of these species to echinocandins could be the reason of the recent increase of M. clavatus bloodstream infections.