Molecular detection of resistance to echinocandins

Abstract

In the last years, life-threatening fungal diseases have increased signifi cantly, due to the rising number of human individuals susceptible to fungal infections, which are in part complicated by the emergence of antifungal drug-resistant pathogens. Among yeasts, Candida albicans and Candida glabrata are the most common organisms responsible for invasive fungal diseases. The molecular detection of echinocandin resistance in Candida species may represent a useful means of monitoring the incidence of clinical isolates with antifungal resistance-associated gene alterations. Here, we describe the current methods that enable researchers and/or clinical microbiologists to accurately detect echinocandin-resistant isolates of C. albicans and C. glabrata .