Emergence of fluconazole-resistant strains of Candida albicans in patients with recurrent oropharyngeal candidosis and human immunodeficiency virus infection.

After repeated use of fluconazole for therapy of oropharyngeal candidosis, the emergence of in vitro fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans isolates (MIC, > or = 25 micrograms/ml) together with oral candidosis unresponsive to oral dosages of up to 400 mg of fluconazole were observed in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Antifungal susceptibility testing was done by broth microdilution and agar dilution techniques on C. albicans isolates recovered from a cohort of patients with symptomatic HIV infection who were treated repeatedly with fluconazole for oropharyngeal candidosis. In vitro findings did show a gradual increase in the MICs for C. albicans isolates recovered from selected patients with repeated episodes of oropharyngeal candidosis. Primary resistance of C. albicans to fluconazole was not seen. Cross-resistance in vitro occurred between fluconazole and other azoles (ketoconazole, itraconazole), but to a lesser extent. The results of the study suggest that the development of clinical resistance to fluconazole could be clearly correlated to in vitro resistance to fluconazole. Itraconazole may still serve as an effective antifungal agent in patients with HIV infection and oropharyngeal candidosis nonresponsive to fluconazole.