Virulence and antifungal therapy of murine disseminated infection by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa

- A model of systemic infection by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa has been developed in mice.
- Systemic infection resulted in high mortality in a dose-dependent manner.
- All studied organs showed high fungal load with not clear tissue tropism.
- Efficacy of voriconazole was slightly superior to amphotericin B and posaconazole.

Rhodotorula infections have emerged in recent years causing mainly fungemia associated to high mortality. We have evaluated the in vitro activity of nine antifungal drugs against four clinical strains of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, being amphotericin B, voriconazole and posaconazole the most active compounds. The experimental virulence of this fungus and the efficacy of the three mentioned drugs were evaluated in disseminated infections in neutropenic mice. Infection resulted in a high fungal load in all the organs studied without evident particular tropism. All treated animals showed reduced burden respect to the control in a strain dependent manner being voriconazole slightly superior to posaconazole and amphotericin B.