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JAC Advance Access published online on July 22, 2005
Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, doi:10.1093/jac/dki269
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Published by Oxford University Press 2005
Received March 8, 2005
Revised May 27, 2005
Accepted June 30, 2005

Original article

Anti-metabolic activity of caspofungin against Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis biofilms

Christophe Cocuaud 1, Marie-Hélène Rodier 1, Gyslaine Daniault 1, and Christine Imbert 1*

1 Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicales, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire La Milétrie, BP 577, 86021 Poitiers Cedex, France

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Christine Imbert, E-mail: Christine.Imbert{at}univ-poitiers.fr


  Abstract

Objectives: Candidiasis can be associated with the formation of biofilms on bioprosthetic surfaces and the intrinsic resistance of Candida albicans biofilms to the most commonly used antifungal agents has been demonstrated. In this study, we report on the antifungal activity of caspofungin at two different concentrations, on C. albicans and Candida parapsilosis biofilms with different ages of maturation.

Methods: Fifteen strains of C. albicans (10 strains susceptible to fluconazole in vitro and five strains resistant to this antifungal agent) and six strains of C. parapsilosis (all were susceptible to fluconazole in vitro) were studied. The antifungal activity of caspofungin was assessed by looking for a significant inhibition of the metabolic activity of yeasts within biofilms. Biofilms of Candida were produced in vitro, on silicone catheters.

Results: Caspofungin used at MIC did not modify the metabolic activity of C. albicans, whatever the maturation age of the biofilms. The same concentration of caspofungin significantly reduced the metabolism (P ≤ 0.001) of 25% (biofilms of 48 h) to 50% (biofilms of 2 h) of the C. parapsilosis yeasts. The use of a therapeutic concentration of caspofungin (2 mg/L) significantly decreased (P ≤ 0.001) the metabolism of all the strains of C. albicans and C. parapsilosis tested, independently of the biofilm maturation age. This potent antifungal activity of caspofungin on C. albicans biofilms was observed independently of the yeast susceptibility to fluconazole.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated that caspofungin used at MIC was not sufficient to reduce C. albicans biofilms, but it suggested an activity on C. parapsilosis biofilms depending on their maturation age. This study also indicated that caspofungin used at 2 mg/L could be a good candidate in the prevention of candidiasis associated with silicone medical devices. Our results also suggested that fluconazole resistance of yeasts did not affect caspofungin activity.

Keywords: candidiasis; catheters; antifungals; metabolism; echinocandins.
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