CLSI Publishes New Antifungal Guideline

Wayne, Pennsylvania, USA—The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute announces the publication of CLSI guideline M44—Method for Antifungal Disk Diffusion Susceptibility Testing of Yeasts. M44 provides an approved method for determining zone diameter breakpoints for select Candida spp. with antifungal agents after 24 hours incubation, as well as quality control parameters for the same agents. This guideline fulfills the need for an alternative to the broth microdilution testing procedure and describes a simple, rapid, and cost-effective approach for determining fungal organisms’ susceptibility to various classes of antifungal agents. It also makes antifungal susceptibility testing more readily available to the medical microbiology laboratory and encourages the development of disk diffusion testing for newly discovered antifungal agents.

Gary W. Procop, MD, Chairholder of M44 said, “Candida albicans and other Candida species continue to represent an important cause of infection in a wide variety of patients, resulting in considerable morbidity and mortality. Antifungal susceptibility testing is important to guide therapy in these often critically ill patients. M44 provides guidance on the performance of antifungal disk diffusion testing for select Candida species and various azole and echinocandins. This document is essential for any laboratory performing or considering performing such testing.”

 For more information about M44, contact Patrick McGinn at pmcginn@clsi.org or +1.484.588.5933.   

  

CLSI sets the standard for quality in medical laboratory testing. A not-for-profit membership organization, CLSI brings together the global laboratory community for the advancement of a common cause: to foster excellence in laboratory medicine.     

For nearly 50 years, our members, volunteers, and customers have made CLSI a respected, transformative leader in the development and implementation of medical laboratory testing standards. Through our unified efforts, we will continue to set and uphold the standards that drive quality test results, enhance patient care delivery, and improve health care around the world.    

By using CLSI standards, laboratorians can improve process quality, speed the development of standard operating procedures, and implement safer practices with greater ease and efficiency.