Antifungal therapies in murine disseminated phaeohyphomycoses caused by Exophiala species.
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.
Calvo
Enrique
E
Unitat de Microbiologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain.
Pastor
F Javier
FJ
Guarro
Josep
J
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*
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D014230:Triazoles; D017964:Itraconazole; C101425:posaconazole; D000666:Amphotericin B