#23 - Synergistic Activity of Antifungals and Essential Oils against Candida auris

Abstract

Synergistic Activity of Antifungals and Essential Oils against Candida auris

Candida auris is garnering significant attention as an emerging human pathogen. C. auris is responsible for an increasing number of nosocomial blood infections within immunocompromised individuals. This yeast is challenging to control because it can survive on fomites for weeks, is typically misdiagnosed for closely related species, and is commonly be multi-drug resistant. The Bioinnovation Lab of Kennesaw State University has been examining the use of several antifungals and essential oils to see if they display synergism in inhibiting and killing this emerging human pathogen. First, we tested the antifungal activity of multiple different essential oils. We then took the top three essential oils that proved to be the most inhibitory to the growth of C. auris and combined them with the four different antifungals in a checkerboard assay. Among the combinations that were tested, some showed additive inhibition in the growth of C. auris while Flucytosine with clove bud oil as well as Flucanazole with clove bud oil showed synergism in killing C. auris. These findings could potentially help with the development of surface disinfectants, dermal sanitizers, or even a treatment for infection caused by C. auris.