Resistance to azolic compounds in clinical Trichophyton spp. strains

The increase of dermathophytosis in patients with poor therapeutic response leads us to study the antifungal susceptibility of 36 clinical isolates to itraconazole, ketoconazole and fluconazole by the E-test method. According to established parameters by the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute, the resistance to one or more antifungal drugs was demonstrated in seven isolates (19.4%) as follows: three Trichophyton rubrum, three T. mentagrophytes and one T. tonsurans. A T. rubrum isolate was resistant to the three azolic drugs; the other six only to fluconazole. It is important to establish the antifungal susceptibility as part of the study procedures in patients with dermatophytosis and a poor antifungal response.