Miltefosine is effective against Candida albicans and Fusarium oxysporum nail biofilms in vitro.

Miltefosine is effective against Candida albicans and Fusarium oxysporum nail biofilms in vitro. J Med Microbiol. 2015 Sep 23; Authors: Vila TV, Quintanilha NS, Rozental S Abstract Onychomycosis is a nail fungal infection that represents ~50% of all nail disease cases worldwide. Clinical treatment with standard antifungals frequently requires long-term systemic therapy, to avoid chronic disease. Onychomycosis by non-dermatophyte molds (NDMs), such as Fusarium spp., and yeasts, such as Candida spp., is particularly difficult to treat, possibly due to the formation of drug-resistant fungal biofilms on affected areas. Here, we show that the alkylphospholipid miltefosine, clinically used against leishmaniasis and cutaneous breast metastases, has potent activity against biofilms of F. oxysporum and C. albicans formed on human nail fragments in vitro. Miltefosine activity was compared with that of commercially available antifungals, in the treatment of biofilms at two distinct developmental phases, formation and maturation (pre-formed biofilms). Drug-activity towards biofilms formed on nail fragments and on microplate surfaces (microdilution assays) was evaluated using XTT assays, and drug effects on fingernail biofilms were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For F. oxysporum, 8 µg/mL of miltefosine inhibited biofilm formation by 93%, while 256 µg/mL reduced by 93% the metabolic activity of pre-formed nail biofilms. Treatmen...
Source: Journal of Medical Microbiology - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: J Med Microbiol Source Type: research