부산대학교 도서관

The increased use of antifungal agents in recent years has resulted in the development of resistance to these drugs. The significant clinical implication of resistance has led to heightened interest in the study of antifungal resistance from different angles. In this article we discuss antifungal susceptibility testing, the mode of action of antifungals and mechanisms of resistance.Antifungals are grouped into five groups on the basis of their site of action: Different mechanisms contribute to the resistance of antifungal agents. These mechanisms include modification of ERG11 gene at the molecular level (gene mutation, conversion and overexpression), over expression of specific drug efflux pumps, alteration in sterol biosynthesis, and reduction in the intracellular concentration of target enzymes. Approaches to prevent and control the emergence of antifungal resistance include prudent use of antifungals, treatment with the appropriate antifungal and conducting surveillance studies to determine the frequency of resistance.