Fungicidal effects of eight disinfectants against resistant Candidozyma auris (formerly Candida auris ), Aspergillus fumigatus

Disinfectants are widely used in hospital environments to control bacterial, viral, and fungal hospital-acquired infections. In recent years, nosocomial infections caused by drug-resistant fungi, such as Candidozyma auris , Aspergillus fumigatus , and Trichophyton indotineae , have posed an increasing transmission risk among patients and healthcare workers, making treatment more challenging. Although many disinfectants are routinely applied in hospital settings, data on their efficacy against drug-resistant fungi remain limited. In this study, we evaluated the antifungal efficacy of eight disinfectants against these three species of drug-resistant fungi, including aldehyde-, alcohol-, chlorine-, iodine-, and peroxide-based formulations. Using minimum fungicidal concentrations, all disinfectants exhibited fungicidal activity against the three fungi at appropriate concentrations; however, when tested at the manufacturer-recommended working concentrations using a quantitative suspension test in the presence of 0.3% bovine serum albumin as an organic interferent, only five disinfectants produced a ≥5 log ₁₀ reduction in viable organisms within 5 min of exposure. Comparative analysis further revealed that a commercial benzalkonium chloride solution (Meifute solution) and peracetic acid exhibited particularly strong potential for the rapid elimination of these drug-resistant fungal pathogens.

IMPORTANCE

Disinfectants are primarily developed against bacteria and viruses; there are no dedicated fungicides for use in hospitals, especially for drug-resistant fungi. This study aimed to identify the best disinfectant among those already labeled as having fungicidal attributes for eliminating drug-resistant fungi, to address disinfection and infection control in medical institutions.