Efficacy of voriconazole and amphotericin B in corneal preservative media

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of voriconazole and amphotericin B in McCarey-Kaufman (MK) media. Methods: MK media vials were supplemented with either voriconazole at 1, 2, 20, 50, 100 mu g/mL or amphotericin B at 0.5, 1, 2, 10, 20 mu g/mL. The standard inoculum of the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) strain of Candida albicans, Aspergillus /lams, and Fusarium keratinoplasticum was added to the set of vials. The efficacy outcomes were calculated as 'viable fungal colony counts' determined from the samples taken on Days 0 and 4. MK media containing fungal inoculum but without antifungal supplements were used as control. Results: In the voriconazole arm, on Day 4, a reduction in the colony count was observed for Candida albicans (1 mu g/mL, 36%; 100 mu g/mL, 100%), Aspergillus flavus (1 mu g/mL, 53.8%; 100 mu g/mL, 80.4%), and Fusarium keratinoplasticum (1 mu g/mL, 39.0%; 100 mu g/mL, 72.2%). Similarly, in the amphotericin B arm, on Day 4, a reduction in the colony count was observed for Candida albicans (0.5 mu g/mL; 99.9%; 20 mu g/mL, 100%), Aspergillus flavus (0.5 mu g/mL, 65.2%; 20 mu g/mL, 84.8%), and Fusarium keratinoplasticum (0.5 mu g/mL, 90.1%; 20 mu g/mL, 100%). Conclusion: Compared to voriconazole, the addition of amphotericin B significantly reduces fungal contamination in MK media.