Vol2-2Art4 Penicillium Antifungal Susceptibility in Iran

Leila Faeli ^1*, Abbas Raeisabadi  ^1,2*, Mohsen Nosratabadi  ^1,2,  Robab Ebrahimi Barough  ^1,2, Maryam Moazeni ^1,3, Reza Valadan  ^4,5, Neda Kiasat ⁶, Ali Rezaei-Matehkolaei ^6,7, Iman Haghani ^1,3, Ahmed Al-Harrasi  ⁸, Mahdi Abastabar  ^1,3*, Abdullah M.S. Al-Hatmi  ^8,9#

¹Invasive Fungi Research Centre, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; ²Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; ³Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; ⁴Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; ⁵Molecular and Cell-Biology Research Centre, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; ⁶Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; ⁷Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Centre, Health Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Golestan BLV, Ahvaz, Iran; ⁸Natural and Medical Sciences Research Centre, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman; ⁹Center of Expertise for Mycology, Radboud University Medical Centre / Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Abstract

Background. Humans occasionally show opportunistic infections by Penicillium species, which can range from superficial to widespread and potentially lethal. Different species of Penicillium exhibit varying levels of resistance to various antifungal medications. Very limited information is available on the antifungal susceptibility profiles of environmental and clinical Penicillium species worldwide.
Methods. The isolates underwent phenotypical evaluation based on standard growth criteria, followed by molecular identification through sequencing of the β-tubulin gene. We tested 12 antifungal drugs in vitro against 53 Penicillium isolates collected from both clinical and environmental origins according to CLSI document M38-A3.
Results. In clinical settings, Penicillium species exhibited high MIC values against the most commonly used antifungal medications. At 0.021 and 0.093 µg/mL, respectively, lanoconazole and luliconazole showed extremely low geometric mean MIC values, followed by 0.366 µg/mL for amphotericin B, 0.473 µg/mL for itraconazole and 0.640 µg/mL for ketoconazole.
Conclusions. Luliconazole has potential as a treatment for superficial infections caused by Penicillium. More in vivo and in vitro research as well as the development of systemic formulations may aid in the treatment of systemic penicilliosis. 

#Correspondence:
a.alhatmi@unizwa.edu.om
mabastabar@gmail.com

Article info:
Received 26 August 2025
Revised 25 September 2025
Accepted 29 September 2025
Appeared online 26 October
One Health Mycology 2(2): 134-141, 2025
doi.org/10.63049/OHM.25.22.4 

Cite this article:
Faeli L, Raeisabadi A, Nosratabadi M,  Barough RE, Moazeni M, Valadan R, Kiasat N,  Rezaei-Matehkolaei A,  Haghani I, Al-Harrasi A , Abastabar M,  Al-Hatmi AMS 2025. Molecular characterisation and susceptibility to in vitro antifungal drugs of clinical and environmental Penicillium isolates in Mazandaran, Iran. One Health Mycology 2(2), 134-141
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Keywords:
Penicillium, molecular identification, antifungal susceptibility, superficial infection

Article highlights:

• Using the CLSI document M38-A3 protocol, this study examined 53 isolates of clinical and environmental Penicillium against 12 antifungals.
• Luliconazole, lanoconazole, terbinafine and isavoconazole have demonstrated the highest levels of antifungal activity against various Penicillium species.
• Resistant isolates of Penicillium are found in the environment, occasionally on humans, while canines have increased susceptibility.