title: Efficacy of caspofungin in neutropenic and corticosteroid-immunosuppressed murine models of invasive pulmonary mucormycosis.
abstract: Caspofungin (CFG) was tested in neutropenic and corticosteroid-immunosuppressed mice challenged with a lethal sinopulmonary inoculum of Rhizopus oryzae. Compared to untreated controls, CFG administered at 1 mg/kg of body weight/day significantly improved survival (54% versus 19%; P = 0.003) and reduced median R. oryzae fungal burden by 1.5 log(10) for conidial equivalent DNA in neutropenic but not corticosteroid-immunosuppressed animals. CFG administered at 16 mg/kg/day was not significantly better than a saline control for treatment of invasive pulmonary mucormycosis (IPM) in either neutropenic or corticosteroid-immunosuppressed animals.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USA. rlewis@uh.edu
authors.forename: Russell E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Leventakos
authors.forename: Guangling
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Dimitrios P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Kontoyiannis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077336:Caspofungin; D054714:Echinocandins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D055666:Lipopeptides; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009091:Mucormycosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D054714:Echinocandins; D055666:Lipopeptides; D000077336:Caspofungin