Enhanced production of farnesol by Candida albicans treated with four azoles.

The dimorphic fungus Candida albicans excretes farnesol, which is produced enzymatically from the sterol biosynthetic intermediate farnesyl pyrophosphate. Inhibition of C. albicans by four azole antifungals, fluconazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, and clotrimazole, caused elevated farnesol production (10- to 45-fold). Furthermore, farnesol production occurs in both laboratory strains and clinical isolates (J. M. Hornby et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67:2982-2992, 2001) of C. albicans.