title: Antifungal therapies in murine disseminated phaeohyphomycoses caused by Exophiala species.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We have evaluated the efficacy of posaconazole, itraconazole and amphotericin B in murine models of disseminated infection caused by Exophiala spp.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunosuppressed mice were treated with posaconazole at 10, 20 or 40 mg/kg/day orally (po), amphotericin B at 1.5 mg/kg/day intraperitoneally (ip) or itraconazole at 50 mg/kg/day po. Treatment began 1 day after infection and continued for 7 days post-infection. Two strains of each of the three most relevant clinical species, i.e. Exophiala dermatitidis, Exophiala oligosperma and Exophiala xenobiotica, were tested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Posaconazole showed the highest efficacy in mice infected with E. dermatitidis, the only species that showed a high neurotropism, while the three drugs showed a similarly good activity against E. oligosperma and E. xenobiotica infections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that posaconazole may have a clinical role in the treatment of disseminated infections caused by Exophiala species, especially in those with CNS invasion.
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Microbiologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: F Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Pastor
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guarro
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005093:Exophiala / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D017964:Itraconazole / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014230:Triazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D014230:Triazoles; D017964:Itraconazole; C101425:posaconazole; D000666:Amphotericin B