Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 1999 Jan;12(1):40-79.
doi: 10.1128/CMR.12.1.40.

Current and emerging azole antifungal agents

D J Sheehan  1 , C A Hitchcock, C M Sibley
Affiliations
Review

Current and emerging azole antifungal agents

D J Sheehan et al. Clin Microbiol Rev. 1999 Jan.

Abstract

Major developments in research into the azole class of antifungal agents during the 1990s have provided expanded options for the treatment of many opportunistic and endemic fungal infections. Fluconazole and itraconazole have proved to be safer than both amphotericin B and ketoconazole. Despite these advances, serious fungal infections remain difficult to treat, and resistance to the available drugs is emerging. This review describes present and future uses of the currently available azole antifungal agents in the treatment of systemic and superficial fungal infections and provides a brief overview of the current status of in vitro susceptibility testing and the growing problem of clinical resistance to the azoles. Use of the currently available azoles in combination with other antifungal agents with different mechanisms of action is likely to provide enhanced efficacy. Detailed information on some of the second-generation triazoles being developed to provide extended coverage of opportunistic, endemic, and emerging fungal pathogens, as well as those in which resistance to older agents is becoming problematic, is provided.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

FIG. 1
FIG. 1
Key events in antifungal drug development.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Abi-Said D, Anaissie E, Uzun O, Raad I, Pinzcowski H, Vartivarian S. The epidemiology of hematogenous candidiasis caused by different Candida species. Clin Infect Dis. 1997;24:1122–1128. - PubMed
    1. Alangaden G, Chandrasekar P H, Bailey E, Khaliq Y the Bone Marrow Transplantation Team. Antifungal prophylaxis with low-dose fluconazole during bone marrow transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant. 1994;14:919–924. - PubMed
    1. Aly R, Berger T. Common superficial fungal infections in patients with AIDS. Clin Infect Dis. 1996;22:S128–S132. - PubMed
    1. Anaissie E J, Darouiche R O, Abi-Said D, Uzun O, Mera J, Gentry L O, Williams T, Kontoyiannis D P, Karl C L, Bodey G P. Management of invasive candidal infections: results of a prospective, randomized, multicenter study of fluconazole versus amphotericin B and review of the literature. Clin Infect Dis. 1996;23:964–972. - PubMed
    1. Anaissie E J, Paetznick V L, Ensign L G, Espinel-Ingroff A, Galgiani J N, Hitchcock C A, LaRocco M, Patterson T, Pfaller M A, Rex J H, et al. Microdilution antifungal susceptibility testing of Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans with and without agitation: an eight-center collaborative study. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1996;40:2387–2391. - PMC - PubMed