title: Combination therapy with fluconazole and flucytosine in the murine model of cryptococcal meningitis.
abstract: This study elucidates the role of combined fluconazole and flucytosine as therapy for cryptococcosis in the murine model of meningitis. Three strains of Cryptococcus neoformans for which the range of fluconazole MICs was wide--2 microg/ml (susceptible strain), 8 microg/ml (moderately susceptible strain), and 32 microg/ml (resistant strain)--were used for infection. One day postinfection, the mice were randomized into eight treatment groups: placebo; flucytosine (40 mg/kg of body weight/day); fluconazole at 3 mg/kg/day (low dosage), 10 mg/kg/day (moderate dosage), or 20 mg/kg/day (high dosage); and combined flucytosine and fluconazole at low, moderate, or high doses of fluconazole. Three major findings were demonstrated: (i) correlation between the MICs for the isolates and the in vivo effectiveness of fluconazole as assessed by the reduction in cryptococcal brain burden, (ii) a dose-response curve (a higher dose of fluconazole was significantly more efficacious than a lower dose [P < 0.001]), and (iii) synergism between fluconazole and flucytosine (therapy with a combination of fluconazole and flucytosine was superior to therapy with either agent alone [P < 0.01]).
authors.affiliation: University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville VA Medical Center, USA. nguyen.med@shands.ufl.edu
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Najvar
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Graybill
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000187:drug effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004357:Drug Synergism; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005437:Flucytosine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016919:Meningitis, Cryptococcal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D015725:Fluconazole; D005437:Flucytosine