The influence of antifungal drugs on adherence of Candida albicans to buccal epithelial cells.

The adherence of two strains of Candida albicans serotype A to human epithelial cells was measured after exposure to different concentrations of amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine, nystatin, miconazole and ketoconazole. Germ-tube formation after different exposure times to the antifungal drugs as a preliminary test was carried out. Pretreatment of blastospores with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and sub-MIC (1/2 and 1/4 of MIC values) for 3 and 72 h did not affect adherence for all drugs tested except amphotericin B. This antimycotic agent reduces significantly the adherence either after 3 or 72 h exposure time. The other antifungal drugs interfere with adherence only after 72 h and at the highest concentrations tested, above MIC values. The decrease in adherence by antifungal drugs suggests that some of these drugs would be useful in the prophylaxis of patients at high risk for candidosis.