title: Antifungal Agents: Spectrum of Activity, Pharmacology, and Clinical Indications.
abstract: The currently available antifungal therapies vary significantly in terms of spectrum of activity, pharmacologic properties, toxicity, and potential for drug-drug interactions. This article provides a history of antifungal development and discusses the characteristics of individual drugs and drug classes, including the amphotericin B formulations, the triazoles, the echinocandins, and flucytosine. For each drug, the clinically relevant pharmacokinetics are reviewed, the spectrum of activity described, and the Food and Drug Administration-approved clinical indications examined. Antifungal side-effects, therapeutic drug monitoring, and drug-drug interactions are summarized. The variations among different formulations are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
authors.forename: Jeniel E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Nett
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA. Electronic address: dra@medicine.wisc.edu.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Andes
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents
keywords: Amphotericin B; Antifungal; Azole; Echinocandins; Indications; Pharmacokinetics; Spectrum of activity; Toxicity