Antifungal Effects of Gold Nanoparticles Conjugated Fluconazole against Fluconazole Resistant Strains of Candida albicans Isolated From Patients with Chronic Vulvovaginitis

A number of women with volvuvaginal candidiasis suffer from certain chronic and recurrent types of this infection that affect their quality of life. Meanwhile, increased use of antifungal drugs, especially azoles, for treatment of chronic candidiasis is an important factor for incidence of drug resistance in Candida isolates from patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis. The aim of this study was to investigate anticandidal effects of gold nanoparticles conjugated fluconazole to develop better drugs for treatment of patients with candidal vaginitis, especially its chronic type.
After collection of 300 vaginal swab specimens and culture and isolation of primary colonies and determination of Candida species, fluconazole resistant strains of Candida albicans were detected using disc diffusion. Finally, antifungal effects of gold nanoparticles conjugated fluconazole and fluconazole were compared by broth microdilution.
Only one fluconazole resistant strain of C. albicans was isolated from patients (MIC=64µg/ml). The results obtained from drug susceptibility test showed that this strain was sensitive to gold nanoparticles conjugated fluconazole (MIC=2µg/ml).
Given the optimal anticandidal effects of gold nanoparticles conjugated fluconazole on resistant strains of C. albicans, a suitable compound with great anticandidal properties may be achieved in the future.