Abstract
The approach to treatment of fungal infections has focused on drugs that target the differences between the mammalian and the fungal cell membranes. The first antifungal drugs available commercially, the polyenes, bound to the ergosterol, the major fungal cell lipid (a lipid resembling mammalian cholesterol) achieving fungal killing by poking holes in the fungal cells. The azole drugs target ergosterol synthesis while the echinocandins take advantage of a unique fungal enzyme (1,3 d-glucan synthase) that is essential to cell wall integrity.
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Further Reading
Smith, J. A., & Kauffman, C. A. (2010). Recognition and prevention of nosocomial invasive fungal infections in the intensive care unit. Crit Care Med, 38(8 Suppl), S380-387.
Terrell, C. L. (1999). Antifungal agents. Part II. The azoles. Mayo Clin Proc, 74(1), 78–100.
Tuon, F. F., Amato, V. S., & Penteado Filho, S. R. (2009). Bladder irrigation with amphotericin B and fungal urinary tract infection--systematic review with meta-analysis. Int J Infect Dis, 13(6), 701–706.
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Finberg, R.W., Guharoy, R. (2012). Clinical Approach to Treatment of Fungal Infections. In: Clinical Use of Anti-infective Agents. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1068-3_19
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1068-3_19
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