Fungal infections and their treatment in the intensive care unit.
OBJECTIVE
To describe and bring together recent development in the diagnosis and treatment of both community-acquired and opportunistic fungal infections in the intensive care unit.


RESULTS
The past few years have brought major advances to both the diagnosis and treatment of fungal infections. The development of newer therapeutic modalities to supplement existing treatment options includes a new class of antifungal agents, the echinocandins. Newer and improved agents of the azole class have arrived as well as better delineation for the role of liposomal amphotericins. Newer, nonculture-based diagnostic tests have allowed earlier, more timely diagnosis of opportunistic fungal infections, allowing more rapid initiation of therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Improved diagnostic tests and newer antifungal agents have been introduced, leading to earlier diagnosis and treatment.
Sarosi
George A
GA
Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA. george.sarosi@med.va.gov
D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D009181:Mycoses / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
D000935:Antifungal Agents