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New developments in the treatment of zygomycosis

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Abstract

Zygomycosis is the third most common cause of systemic fungal infection after candidiasis and aspergillosis. Treatment with all available modalities is often the best approach. Amphotericin B (AmB) and its lipid formulations are the mainstay of therapy. Liposomal AmB (L-AmB) penetrates best in the brain. The new azole, posaconazole, has been shown to be effective as salvage treatment, but existing studies do not support its use as first-line monotherapy. Some in vitro and animal model studies have shown synergy between the polyenes and the echinocandins. An ongoing clinical study is comparing the iron chelator deferasirox in combination with L-AmB versus L-AmB monotherapy. Other adjunctive treatments, such as granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, are under investigation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Research Laboratory “G.K.DAIKOS”, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, 75 M. Asias Street, 115 27, Athens, Greece

    George L. Petrikkos

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  1. George L. Petrikkos
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  2. Anna Skiada
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Correspondence to George L. Petrikkos.

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Petrikkos, G.L., Skiada, A. New developments in the treatment of zygomycosis. Curr Fungal Infect Rep 3, 223–228 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12281-009-0031-9

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