MINIREVIEW Susceptibility Testing of Fungi: Current Status of the Standardization Process

In a previous review of antifungal susceptibility testing (12), several problems were identified that made clinically relevant in vitro tests an illusive goal. Clinical laboratory microbiologists felt little pressure to develop a test that was infrequently requested or that would have little influence on patient management. The few reference laboratories that offered testing derived their methods from their own local experience. This created a diversity of testing methods which produced correspondingly discrepant results (13). Moreover, since virtually no relationship had been estab-lished between tests and patient responses, it was not possible to determine which of the methods would best predict benefit from treatment. The National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) established a sub-committee to develop antifungal testing procedures in 1983