Azole Resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus Clinical Isolates from an Italian Culture Collection

The aims of the study were to investigate the prevalence of azole resistance among Aspergillus fumigatus clinical isolates. A total of 533 clinical isolates that had been collected between 1995 and 2006, from 441 patients, were screened. No resistance was detected in isolates collected between 1995 and 1997. Starting in 1998, the resistance rate was 6.9%; a total of 24 patients (6.25%) harbored a resistant isolate. The TR34/L98H substitution was found in 21 of 30 tested isolates.