Fluconazole resistance rate of Candida species from different regions and hospital types in Taiwan.

From April 15 to June 15, 1999, 581 clinical Candida isolates from 19 hospitals in Taiwan were collected and susceptibilities to fluconazole of these isolates were determined by a broth microdilution method. A total of 42 (7.2%) isolates were resistant to fluconazole. Isolates from medical centers had a higher resistance rate to fluconazole than those from regional hospitals (10.7% vs 4.9%). Candida species isolated from different regions had different degrees of susceptibility to fluconazole. Approximately 2.5%, 6.5%, and 11.8% of Candida isolates from middle, north, and south regions, respectively, were resistant to fluconazole. The prevalence of the combination of Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, and Candida tropicalis infections were 44.5%, 49.8%, and 62.7% in middle, north, and south regions, respectively. There is an association between the rate of fluconazole resistance and the number of non-albicans Candida species collected from different regions and hospital types.