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Oral infections caused by Candida species, the most commonly isolated human fungal pathogen, are frequently associated with biofilms. Although Candida albicans is the predominant organism found in patients with oral thrush, a biofilm infection, there is an increasing incidence of oral colonization and infections caused by non- albicans Candida species, including C. glabrata, C. dubliniensis, and C. tropicalis, which are frequently more resistant to antifungal treatment. While single-species Candida biofilms have been well studied, considerably less is known about the dynamics of mixed- Candida species biofilms and how these dynamics are altered by antifungal treatment. To address these questions, we developed a quantitative polymerase chain reaction-based approach to determine the precise species composition of mixed- Candida species biofilms formed by clinical isolates and laboratory strains in the presence and absence of clinically relevant concentrations of 3 commonly used antifungals: fluconazole, caspofungin, and amphotericin B. In monospecies biofilms, fluconazole exposure favored growth of C. glabrata and C. tropicalis, while caspofungin generally favored significant growth of all species to a varying degree. Fluconazole was not effective against preformed mixed- Candida species biofilms while amphotericin B was potent. As a general trend, in mixed- Candida species biofilms, C. albicans lost dominance in the presence of antifungals. Interestingly, presence in mixed versus monospecies biofilms reduced susceptibility to amphotericin B for C. tropicalis and C. glabrata. Overall, our data suggest that antifungal treatment favors the growth of specific non- albicans Candida species in mixed- Candida species biofilms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cladosporium is mainly known as a ubiquitous environmental saprobic fungus or plant endophyte, and to date, just a few species have been documented as etiologic agents in vertebrate hosts, including humans. In the present study, 10 new species of the genus were isolated from human and animal clinical specimens from the USA. They are proposed and characterized on the basis of their morphology and a molecular phylogenetic analysis using DNA sequences from three loci (the ITS region of the rDNA, and partial fragments of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha and actin genes). Six of those species belong to the C. cladosporioides species complex, i.e., C. alboflavescens, C. angulosum, C. anthropophilum, C. crousii, C. flavovirens and C. xantochromaticum, three new species belong to the C. herbarum species complex, i.e., C. floccosum, C. subcinereum and C. tuberosum; and one to the C. sphaerospermum species complex, namely, C. succulentum. Differential morphological features of the new taxa are provided together with molecular barcodes to distinguish them from the currently accepted species of the genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel species of fungi described in the present study include the following from Australia: Vermiculariopsiella eucalypti, Mulderomyces natalis (incl. Mulderomyces gen. nov.), Fusicladium paraamoenum, Neotrimmatostroma paraexcentricum, and Pseudophloeospora eucalyptorum on leaves of Eucalyptus spp., Anungitea grevilleae (on leaves of Grevillea sp.), Pyrenochaeta acaciae (on leaves of Acacia sp.), and Brunneocarpos banksiae (incl. Brunneocarpos gen. nov.) on cones of Banksia attenuata. Novel foliicolous taxa from South Africa include Neosulcatispora strelitziae (on Strelitzia nicolai), Colletotrichum ledebouriae (on Ledebouria floridunda), Cylindrosympodioides brabejum (incl. Cylindrosympodioides gen. nov.) on Brabejum stellatifolium, Sclerostagonospora ericae (on Erica sp.), Setophoma cyperi (on Cyperus sphaerocephala), and Phaeosphaeria breonadiae (on Breonadia microcephala). Novelties described from Robben Island (South Africa) include Wojnowiciella cissampeli and Diaporthe cissampeli (both on Cissampelos capensis), Phaeotheca salicorniae (on Salicornia meyeriana), Paracylindrocarpon aloicola (incl. Paracylindrocarpon gen. nov.) on Aloe sp., and Libertasomyces myopori (incl. Libertasomyces gen. nov.) on Myoporum serratum. Several novelties are recorded from La Réunion (France), namely Phaeosphaeriopsis agapanthi (on Agapanthus sp.), Roussoella solani (on Solanum mauritianum), Vermiculariopsiella acaciae (on Acacia heterophylla), Dothiorella acacicola (on Acacia mearnsii), Chalara clidemiae (on Clidemia hirta), Cytospora tibouchinae (on Tibouchina semidecandra), Diaporthe ocoteae (on Ocotea obtusata), Castanediella eucalypticola, Phaeophleospora eucalypticola and Fusicladium eucalypticola (on Eucalyptus robusta), Lareunionomyces syzygii (incl. Lareunionomyces gen. nov.) and Parawiesneriomyces syzygii (incl. Parawiesneriomyces gen. nov.) on leaves of Syzygium jambos. Novel taxa from the USA include Meristemomyces arctostaphylos (on Arctostaphylos patula), Ochroconis dracaenae (on Dracaena reflexa), Rasamsonia columbiensis (air of a hotel conference room), Paecilomyces tabacinus (on Nicotiana tabacum), Toxicocladosporium hominis (from human broncoalveolar lavage fluid), Nothophoma macrospora (from respiratory secretion of a patient with pneumonia), and Penidiellopsis radicularis (incl. Penidiellopsis gen. nov.) from a human nail. Novel taxa described from Malaysia include Prosopidicola albizziae (on Albizzia falcataria), Proxipyricularia asari (on Asarum sp.), Diaporthe passifloricola (on Passiflora foetida), Paramycoleptodiscus albizziae (incl. Paramycoleptodiscus gen. nov.) on Albizzia falcataria, and Malaysiasca phaii (incl. Malaysiasca gen. nov.) on Phaius reflexipetalus. Two species are newly described from human patients in the Czech Republic, namely Microascus longicollis (from toenails of patient with suspected onychomycosis), and Chrysosporium echinulatum (from sole skin of patient). Furthermore, Alternaria quercicola is described on leaves of Quercus brantii (Iran), Stemphylium beticola on leaves of Beta vulgaris (The Netherlands), Scleroderma capeverdeanum on soil (Cape Verde Islands), Scleroderma dunensis on soil, and Blastobotrys meliponae from bee honey (Brazil), Ganoderma mbrekobenum on angiosperms (Ghana), Geoglossum raitviirii and Entoloma kruticianum on soil (Russia), Priceomyces vitoshaensis on Pterostichus melas (Carabidae) (Bulgaria) is the only one for which the family is listed, Ganoderma ecuadoriense on decaying wood (Ecuador), Thyrostroma cornicola on Cornus officinalis (Korea), Cercophora vinosa on decorticated branch of Salix sp. (France), Coprinus pinetorum, Coprinus littoralis and Xerocomellus poederi on soil (Spain). Two new genera from Colombia include Helminthosporiella and Uwemyces on leaves of Elaeis oleifera. Two species are described from India, namely Russula intervenosa (ectomycorrhizal with Shorea robusta), and Crinipellis odorata (on bark of Mytragyna parviflora). Novelties from Thailand include Cyphellophora gamsii (on leaf litter), Pisolithus aureosericeus and Corynascus citrinus (on soil). Two species are newly described from Citrus in Italy, namely Dendryphiella paravinosa on Citrus sinensis, and Ramularia citricola on Citrus floridana. Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS nrDNA barcodes are provided for all taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genera Microascus and Scopulariopsis comprise species commonly isolated from soil, decaying plant material and indoor environments. A few species are also recognised as opportunistic pathogens of insects and animals, including humans. In the past, the taxonomy of these fungi has been based on morphology only. With the aim to clarify the taxonomy and phylogeny of these fungi, we studied a large set of clinical and environmental isolates, including the available ex-type strains of numerous species, by means of morphological, physiological and molecular analyses. Species delineation was assessed under the Genealogical Phylogenetic Species Recognition (GCPSR) criterion using DNA sequence data of four loci (ITS region, and fragments of rDNA LSU, translation elongation factor 1-α and β-tubulin). The genera Microascus and Scopulariopsis were found to be separated in two distinct lineages. The genus Pithoascus is reinstated and the new genus Pseudoscopulariopsis is erected, typified by P. schumacheri. Seven new species of Microascus and one of Scopulariopsis are described, namely M. alveolaris, M. brunneosporus, M. campaniformis, M. expansus, M. intricatus, M. restrictus, M. verrucosus and Scopulariopsis cordiae. Microascus trigonosporus var. macrosporus is accepted as a species distinct from M. trigonosporus. Nine new combinations are introduced. Microascus cinereus, M. longirostris, P. schumacheri and S. flava are neotypified. A table summarising the morphological features of the species treated and identification keys for each genus are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel species of fungi described in the present study include the following from Malaysia: Castanediella eucalypti from Eucalyptus pellita, Codinaea acacia from Acacia mangium, Emarcea eucalyptigena from Eucalyptus brassiana, Myrtapenidiella eucalyptorum from Eucalyptus pellita, Pilidiella eucalyptigena from Eucalyptus brassiana and Strelitziana malaysiana from Acacia mangium. Furthermore, Stachybotrys sansevieriicola is described from Sansevieria ehrenbergii (Tanzania), Phacidium grevilleae from Grevillea robusta (Uganda), Graphium jumulu from Adansonia gregorii and Ophiostoma eucalyptigena from Eucalyptus marginata (Australia), Pleurophoma ossicola from bone and Plectosphaerella populi from Populus nigra (Germany), Colletotrichum neosansevieriae from Sansevieria trifasciata, Elsinoë othonnae from Othonna quinquedentata and Zeloasperisporium cliviae (Zeloasperisporiaceae fam. nov.) from Clivia sp. (South Africa), Neodevriesia pakbiae, Phaeophleospora hymenocallidis and Phaeophleospora hymenocallidicola on leaves of a fern (Thailand), Melanconium elaeidicola from Elaeis guineensis (Indonesia), Hormonema viticola from Vitis vinifera (Canary Islands), Chlorophyllum pseudoglobossum from a grassland (India), Triadelphia disseminata from an immunocompromised patient (Saudi Arabia), Colletotrichum abscissum from Citrus (Brazil), Polyschema sclerotigenum and Phialemonium limoniforme from human patients (USA), Cadophora vitícola from Vitis vinifera (Spain), Entoloma flavovelutinum and Bolbitius aurantiorugosus from soil (Vietnam), Rhizopogon granuloflavus from soil (Cape Verde Islands), Tulasnella eremophila from Euphorbia officinarum subsp. echinus (Morocco), Verrucostoma martinicensis from Danaea elliptica (French West Indies), Metschnikowia colchici from Colchicum autumnale (Bulgaria), Thelebolus microcarpus from soil (Argentina) and Ceratocystis adelpha from Theobroma cacao (Ecuador). Myrmecridium iridis (Myrmecridiales ord. nov., Myrmecridiaceae fam. nov.) is also described from Iris sp. (The Netherlands). Novel genera include (Ascomycetes): Budhanggurabania from Cynodon dactylon (Australia), Soloacrosporiella, Xenocamarosporium, Neostrelitziana and Castanediella from Acacia mangium and Sabahriopsis from Eucalyptus brassiana (Malaysia), Readerielliopsis from basidiomata of Fuscoporia wahlbergii (French Guyana), Neoplatysporoides from Aloe ferox (Tanzania), Wojnowiciella, Chrysofolia and Neoeriomycopsis from Eucalyptus (Colombia), Neophaeomoniella from Eucalyptus globulus (USA), Pseudophaeomoniella from Olea europaea (Italy), Paraphaeomoniella from Encephalartos altensteinii, Aequabiliella, Celerioriella and Minutiella from Prunus (South Africa). Tephrocybella (Basidiomycetes) represents a novel genus from wood (Italy). Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS DNA barcodes are provided for all taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Australia : Banksiophoma australiensis (incl. Banksiophoma gen. nov.) on Banksia coccinea , Davidiellomyces australiensis (incl. Davidiellomyces gen. nov.) on Cyperaceae , Didymocyrtis banksiae on Banksia sessilis var . cygnorum , Disculoides calophyllae on Corymbia calophylla , Harknessia banksiae on Banksia sessilis , Harknessia banksiae-repens on Banksia repens , Harknessia banksiigena on Banksia sessilis var . cygnorum , Harknessia communis on Podocarpus sp., Harknessia platyphyllae on Eucalyptus platyphylla , Myrtacremonium eucalypti (incl. Myrtacremonium gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus globulus , Myrtapenidiella balenae on Eucalyptus sp., Myrtapenidiella eucalyptigena on Eucalyptus sp., Myrtapenidiella pleurocarpae on Eucalyptus pleurocarpa , Paraconiothyrium hakeae on Hakea sp., Paraphaeosphaeria xanthorrhoeae on Xanthorrhoea sp., Parateratosphaeria stirlingiae on Stirlingia sp., Perthomyces podocarpi (incl. Perthomyces gen. nov.) on Podocarpus sp., Readeriella ellipsoidea on Eucalyptus sp., Rosellinia australiensis on Banksia grandis , Tiarosporella corymbiae on Corymbia calophylla , Verrucoconiothyrium eucalyptigenum on Eucalyptus sp., Zasmidium commune on Xanthorrhoea sp., and Zasmidium podocarpi on Podocarpus sp. Brazil : Cyathus aurantogriseocarpus on decaying wood, Perenniporia brasiliensis on decayed wood, Perenniporia paraguyanensis on decayed wood, and Pseudocercospora leandrae-fragilis on Leandra fragilis. Chile : Phialocephala cladophialophoroides on human toe nail. Costa Rica : Psathyrella striatoannulata from soil. Czech Republic : Myotisia cremea (incl. Myotisia gen. nov.) on bat droppings. Ecuador : Humidicutis dictiocephala from soil, Hygrocybe macrosiparia from soil, Hygrocybe sangayensis from soil, and Polycephalomyces onorei on stem of Etlingera sp. France : Westerdykella centenaria from soil. Hungary : Tuber magentipunctatum from soil. India : Ganoderma mizoramense on decaying wood, Hodophilus indicus from soil, Keratinophyton turgidum in soil, and Russula arunii on Pterigota alata. Italy : Rhodocybe matesina from soil. Malaysia : Apoharknessia eucalyptorum , Harknessia malayensis , Harknessia pellitae , and Peyronellaea eucalypti on Eucalyptus pellita , Lectera capsici on Capsicum annuum , and Wallrothiella gmelinae on Gmelina arborea. Morocco : Neocordana musigena on Musa sp. New Zealand : Candida rongomai-pounamu on agaric mushroom surface, Candida vespimorsuum on cup fungus surface, Cylindrocladiella vitis on Vitis vinifera , Foliocryphia eucalyptorum on Eucalyptus sp., Ramularia vacciniicola on Vaccinium sp., and Rhodotorula ngohengohe on bird feather surface. Poland : Tolypocladium fumosum on a caterpillar case of unidentified Lepidoptera. Russia : Pholiotina longistipitata among moss. Spain : Coprinopsis pseudomarcescibilis from soil, Eremiomyces innocentii from soil, Gyroporus pseudocyanescens in humus, Inocybe parvicystis in humus, and Penicillium parvofructum from soil. Unknown origin : Paraphoma rhaphiolepidis on Rhaphiolepsis indica. USA : Acidiella americana from wall of a cooling tower, Neodactylaria obpyriformis (incl. Neodactylaria gen. nov.) from human bronchoalveolar lavage, and Saksenaea loutrophoriformis from human eye. Vietnam : Phytophthora mekongensis from Citrus grandis , and Phytophthora prodigiosa from Citrus grandis. Morphological and culture characteristics along with DNA barcodes are provided.

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Australia : Apiognomonia lasiopetali on Lasiopetalum sp., Blastacervulus eucalyptorum on Eucalyptus adesmophloia , Bullanockia australis (incl. Bullanockia gen. nov.) on Kingia australis , Caliciopsis eucalypti on Eucalyptus marginata , Celerioriella petrophiles on Petrophile teretifolia , Coleophoma xanthosiae on Xanthosia rotundifolia , Coniothyrium hakeae on Hakea sp., Diatrypella banksiae on Banksia formosa , Disculoides corymbiae on Corymbia calophylla , Elsinoë eelemani on Melaleuca alternifolia , Elsinoë eucalyptigena on Eucalyptus kingsmillii , Elsinoë preissianae on Eucalyptus preissiana , Eucasphaeria rustici on Eucalyptus creta , Hyweljonesia queenslandica (incl. Hyweljonesia gen. nov.) on the cocoon of an unidentified microlepidoptera, Mycodiella eucalypti (incl. Mycodiella gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus diversicolor , Myrtapenidiella sporadicae on Eucalyptus sporadica , Neocrinula xanthorrhoeae (incl. Neocrinula gen. nov.) on Xanthorrhoea sp., Ophiocordyceps nooreniae on dead ant, Phaeosphaeriopsis agavacearum on Agave sp., Phlogicylindrium mokarei on Eucalyptus sp., Phyllosticta acaciigena on Acacia suaveolens , Pleurophoma acaciae on Acacia glaucoptera , Pyrenochaeta hakeae on Hakea sp., Readeriella lehmannii on Eucalyptus lehmannii , Saccharata banksiae on Banksia grandis , Saccharata daviesiae on Daviesia pachyphylla , Saccharata eucalyptorum on Eucalyptus bigalerita , Saccharata hakeae on Hakea baxteri , Saccharata hakeicola on Hakea victoria , Saccharata lambertiae on Lambertia ericifolia , Saccharata petrophiles on Petrophile sp., Saccharata petrophilicola on Petrophile fastigiata , Sphaerellopsis hakeae on Hakea sp., and Teichospora kingiae on Kingia australis. Brazil : Adautomilanezia caesalpiniae (incl . Adautomilanezia gen. nov.) on Caesalpina echinata , Arthrophiala arthrospora (incl. Arthrophiala gen. nov.) on Sagittaria montevidensis , Diaporthe caatingaensis (endophyte from Tacinga inamoena ), Geastrum ishikawae on sandy soil, Geastrum pusillipilosum on soil, Gymnopus pygmaeus on dead leaves and sticks, Inonotus hymenonitens on decayed angiosperm trunk, Pyricularia urashimae on Urochloa brizantha , and Synnemellisia aurantia on Passiflora edulis . Chile : Tubulicrinis australis on Lophosoria quadripinnata. France : Cercophora squamulosa from submerged wood, and Scedosporium cereisporum from fluids of a wastewater treatment plant. Hawaii : Beltraniella acaciae , Dactylaria acaciae , Rhexodenticula acaciae , Rubikia evansii and Torula acaciae (all on Acacia koa ) . India : Lepidoderma echinosporum on dead semi-woody stems, and Rhodocybe rubrobrunnea from soil. Iran : Talaromyces kabodanensis from hypersaline soil. La Réunion : Neocordana musarum from leaves of Musa sp. Malaysia : Anungitea eucalyptigena on Eucalyptus grandis × pellita , Camptomeriphila leucaenae (incl. Camptomeriphila gen. nov.) on Leucaena leucocephala , Castanediella communis on Eucalyptus pellita , Eucalyptostroma eucalypti (incl. Eucalyptostroma gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus pellita , Melanconiella syzygii on Syzygium sp., Mycophilomyces periconiae (incl. Mycophilomyces gen. nov.) as hyperparasite on Periconia on leaves of Albizia falcataria , Synnemadiella eucalypti (incl. Synnemadiella gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus pellita , and Teichospora nephelii on Nephelium lappaceum. Mexico : Aspergillus bicephalus from soil. New Zealand : Aplosporella sophorae on Sophora microphylla , Libertasomyces platani on Platanus sp., Neothyronectria sophorae (incl. Neothyronectria gen. nov.) on Sophora microphylla , Parastagonospora phoenicicola on Phoenix canariensis , Phaeoacremonium pseudopanacis on Pseudopanax crassifolius , Phlyctema phoenicis on Phoenix canariensis , and Pseudoascochyta novae-zelandiae on Cordyline australis. Panama : Chalara panamensis from needle litter of Pinus cf. caribaea . South Africa : Exophiala eucalypti on leaves of Eucalyptus sp., Fantasmomyces hyalinus (incl. Fantasmomyces gen. nov.) on Acacia exuvialis , Paracladophialophora carceris (incl. Paracladophialophora gen. nov.) on Aloe sp., and Umthunziomyces hagahagensis (incl. Umthunziomyces gen. nov.) on Mimusops caffra. Spain : Clavaria griseobrunnea on bare ground in Pteridium aquilinum field, Cyathus ibericus on small fallen branches of Pinus halepensis , Gyroporus pseudolacteus in humus of Pinus pinaster , and Pseudoascochyta pratensis (incl. Pseudoascochyta gen. nov.) from soil. Thailand : Neoascochyta adenii on Adenium obesum , and Ochroconis capsici on Capsicum annuum . UK : Fusicolla melogrammae from dead stromata of Melogramma campylosporum on bark of Carpinus betulus . Uruguay : Myrmecridium pulvericola from house dust. USA : Neoscolecobasidium agapanthi (incl. Neoscolecobasidium gen. nov.) on Agapanthus sp . , Polyscytalum purgamentum on leaf litter, Pseudopithomyces diversisporus from human toenail, Saksenaea trapezispora from knee wound of a soldier, and Sirococcus quercus from Quercus sp . Morphological and culture characteristics along with DNA barcodes are provided.

The taxonomy of the synnematous genera Cephalotrichum, Doratomyces and Trichurus, and other related genera Gamsia, Wardomyces and Wardomycopsis, has been controversial and relies mainly on morphological criteria. These are microascaceous saprobic fungi mostly found in air and soil and with a worldwide distribution. In order to clarify their taxonomy and to delineate generic boundaries within the Microascaceae, we studied 57 isolates that include clinical, environmental and all the available ex-type strains of a large set of species by means of morphological, physiological and molecular phylogenetic analyses using DNA sequence data of four loci (the ITS region, and fragments of rDNA LSU, translation elongation factor 1α and β-tubulin). The results demonstrate that Cephalotrichum, Doratomyces and Trichurus are congeneric and the genus Cephalotrichum is accepted here with Echinobotryum as a further synonym. The genera Acaulium and Fairmania, typified by A. albonigrescens and F. singularis, respectively, are distinct from Microascus and Scopulariopsis, Gamsia is distinct from Wardomyces, and Wardomycopsis is confirmed as a separate genus in the Microascaceae. Two new species of Cephalotrichum are described as C. brevistipitatum and C. hinnuleum. Nine new combinations are proposed, i.e. Acaulium acremonium, A. caviariforme, Cephalotrichum asperulum, C. columnare, C. cylindricum, C. dendrocephalum, C. gorgonifer, Gamsia columbina and Wardomyces giganteus. A neotype is designed for C. stemonitis. Lectotypes and epitypes are designated for A. acremonium, A. albonigrescens, C. gorgonifer, C. nanum and W. anomalus. Cephalotrichum cylindricum, C. microsporum, F. singularis and Gamsia columbina are also epitypified with new specimens. Descriptions of the phenotypic features and dichotomous keys for identification are provided for accepted species in the different genera.

The CLSI epidemiological cutoff values (ECVs) of antifungal agents are available for various Candida spp., Aspergillus spp., and the Mucorales. However, those categorical endpoints have not been established for Fusarium spp., mostly due to the difficulties associated with collecting sufficient CLSI MICs for clinical isolates identified according to the currently recommended molecular DNA-PCR-based identification methodologies. CLSI MIC distributions were established for 53 Fusarium dimerum species complex (SC), 10 F. fujikuroi, 82 F. proliferatum, 20 F. incarnatum-F. equiseti SC, 226 F. oxysporum SC, 608 F. solani SC, and 151 F. verticillioides isolates originating in 17 laboratories (in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Europe, Mexico, and the United States). According to the CLSI guidelines for ECV setting, ECVs encompassing ≥97.5% of pooled statistically modeled MIC distributions were as follows: for amphotericin B, 4 μg/ml (F. verticillioides) and 8 μg/ml (F. oxysporum SC and F. solani SC); for posaconazole, 2 μg/ml (F. verticillioides), 8 μg/ml (F. oxysporum SC), and 32 μg/ml (F. solani SC); for voriconazole, 4 μg/ml (F. verticillioides), 16 μg/ml (F. oxysporum SC), and 32 μg/ml (F. solani SC); and for itraconazole, 32 μg/ml (F. oxysporum SC and F. solani SC). Insufficient data precluded ECV definition for the other species. Although these ECVs could aid in detecting non-wild-type isolates with reduced susceptibility to the agents evaluated, the relationship between molecular mechanisms of resistance (gene mutations) and MICs still needs to be investigated for Fusarium spp., (Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.)

A fully automated antifungal susceptibility test system recently updated to reflect the new species-specific clinical breakpoints (CBPs) of fluconazole for Candida (Vitek 2 AF03 yeast susceptibility test; bioMérieux, Inc., Durham, NC) was compared in three different laboratories with the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) reference broth microdilution (BMD) method by testing 2 quality control strains, 10 reproducibility strains (4 Candida species and 6 Cryptococcus neoformans strains), and 746 isolates of Candida species (702 isolates, 13 species) and 44 isolates of C. neoformans against fluconazole. Excellent essential agreement (EA) (within 2 dilutions) between the reference and Vitek 2 MICs was observed for fluconazole and Candida species (94.0%). The EA was lower for fluconazole and C. neoformans at 86.4%. The mean times to a result with the Vitek 2 test were 9.1 h for Candida species and 12.1 h for C. neoformans. Categorical agreement (CA) between the two methods was assessed by using the new species-specific CBPs. For less common species without fluconazole CBPs, the epidemiological cutoff values (ECVs) were used to differentiate wild-type (WT; MIC, ≤ ECV) from non-WT (MIC, >ECV) strains. The CAs between the two methods were 92.0% for Candida species (0.3% very major errors [VME] and 2.6% major errors [ME]) and 84.1% for C. neoformans (4.5% VME and 11.4% ME). The updated Vitek 2 AF03 IUO yeast susceptibility system is comparable to the CLSI BMD reference method for testing the susceptibility of clinically important yeasts to fluconazole when using the new (lower) CBPs and ECVs., (Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.)