Factors influencing the susceptibility of Candida albicans to the polyenoic antibiotics nystatin and amphotericin B.

Factors influencing the interaction between Candida albicans and the polyenoic antibiotics nystatin and amphotericin B have been investigated using a K+-specific electrode to measure polyene-mediated efflux of cellular K+. In batch cultures, sensitivity was a function of culture age. Using continuous (chemostat) cultures, the influence of growth-limiting substrate, specific growth rate, growth temperature and growth pH were examined. Carbon-limited cultures showed the highest sensitivity of those substrates tested, and susceptibility increased with growth rate. Within the range 22 to 42 degrees C, growth at lower temperatures resulted in increased sensitivity, whilst a similar trend was observed when the growth pH of cultures was reduced. Further, under the conditions tested, there were considerable variations in free intracellular K+ concentrations.