Antifungal efficacy of commercial silver sulfadiazine formulations

Abstract

Infections caused by filamentous fungi represent a growing problem in human health, especially in patients with burns injuries or immunocompromised. Silver sulfadiazine is a topical antimicrobial known for its bacterial efficacy, although its antifungal action has been poorly explored. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of silver sulfadiazine, in its commercial forms (Platsul-A® cream, spray, and gauze) and in its pure form, against strains of Rhizopus spp., Fusarium spp., Alternaria spp., and Mucor spp. Agar diffusion assays and determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) by agar dilution were performed. The results demonstrated that silver sulfadiazine exhibits significant antifungal activity against all strains tested, with inhibition zones of up to 20 mm and MICs ranging from 64 to 128 µg/mL. The commercial forms were effective, especially the spray formulation. Placebos showed no antifungal activity. These findings suggest that silver sulfadiazine could be a potential alternative for the topical treatment of filamentous fungal infections.