Loss of melanin in Wangiella dermatitidis does not result in greater susceptibility to antifungal agents.

Melanized wild-type and melanin-deficient (Mel-) strains of Wangiella dermatitidis (Kano) McGinnis were tested for in vitro susceptibility to amphotericin B, flucytosine, amorolfine, ketoconazole, fluconazole, terbinafine, and itraconazole by using an agar dilution technique. Although the MICs of itraconzole obtained with seven of the eight Mel- strains were lower than those obtained with the melanized wild-type strains, there was no such trend observed with fluconazole, the other triazole tested. Furthermore, there was no apparent difference in MICs when comparing the melanized wild-type and the Mel-strains for the other drugs tested. Thus, no consistent increase in in vitro antifungal activity was found to be associated with a specific class of drug. Therefore, melanin does not appear to confer protection against some of the more important antifungal agents.