Successful treatment of pulmonary invasive aspergillosis with voriconazole in patients who failed conventional therapy.
BACKGROUND
The incidence of fungal infections, including those due to Aspergillosis species has continued to increase in recent years. Invasive aspergillosis remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality, despite therapeutics interventions.


METHODS
We reported five cases of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis treated with voriconazole failing to respond to conventional treatments.


RESULTS
The clinical and radiological resolution of pulmonary aspergillosis reported in these cases following therapy with voriconazole is remarkable, considering the infections had proved refractory to standard antifungal therapies. Long-term therapy (in two cases > or = 1 year, in one case 6 months) was very well tolerated by patients who were unable to tolerate other antifungal agents.


CONCLUSIONS
Therapy with voriconazole offers a new therapeutic option for otherwise difficult-to-treat infections and the potential to significantly improve the management of Aspergillosis infections.
Garbino
J
J
Division of Infectious Disease, Dept. of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Geneva, 24 rue Micheli-du-Crest, CH-1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland. jorge.garbino@hcuge.ch
Rohner
P
P
Kolarova
L
L
Ondrusova
A
A
Lew
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016469:Fungemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014230:Triazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D065819:Voriconazole
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D011743:Pyrimidines; D014230:Triazoles; D065819:Voriconazole