<i>In Vitro</i> Activity of Combinations of Zinc Chelators with Amphotericin B and Posaconazole against Six Mucorales Species

Abstract

Mucormycosis is an emerging disease with high mortality rates. Few antifungal drugs are active against Mucorales. Considering the low efficacy of monotherapy, combination-therapy strategies have been described. It is known that fungi are susceptible to zinc deprivation, so we tested the <i>in vitro</i> effect of the zinc chelators clioquinol, phenanthroline, and <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>,<i>N</i>',<i>N</i>'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine combined with amphotericin B or posaconazole against 25 strains of Mucorales. Clioquinol-posaconazole was the most active combination, although results were strain dependent.