11 - Antifungals Flashcards
What predisposes someone to serious fungal infections?
Immunocompromised
Broad-spectrum antibacterial use
Indwelling catheters
What are classifications of mycosis?
Systemic (potentially life-threatening): in immunosuppressed, geographically organized
Superficial: mucous membranes and dermatophytic
What are current effective antifungal targets?
Membranes (ergosterol) Nucleic acids (limited) Cell wall (1 drug class)
What drugs are used for systemic fungal infections?
Amphotericin B Flucytosine Fluconazole Itraconazole Voriconazole Caspofungin
What antifungal is an effective broad-spectrum agent for most serious systemic mycoses, especially those that are immediately life-threatening?
Amphotericin B
Gold standard for antifungal effectiveness by which other drugs are judged
Why is Amphotericin B only used for proven or highly suspected systemic infections?
Side effects
Total cumulative dose is important for reasons of permanent renal toxicity (90% of people will show nonpermanent nephrotoxicity)
What is the mechanism of action of amphotericin B?
Very lipophilic; binds ergosterol in fungal membranes producing rapid membrane instability/leakage
What are the side effects of Amphotericin B?
Fever, nausea, vomiting, headache, chills.
Hypotension, hypokalemia, tachypnea.
90% nonpermanent nephrotoxicity
Reversible hypochromic, normocytic anemia.
What can Flucytosine (5-FC) be used to treat? How is it used?
To treat serious infections from candida and cryptococcus.
Used in conjunction (synergistic) with amphotericin B.
What drug gets converted by fungal cytosine deaminase to a new compound whose metabolites block nucleic acid synthesis?
Flucytosine (5-FC)
5-FC gets converted to 5-FU, and metabolites of 5FU then block nucleic acid synthesis
What are side effects of Flucytosine?
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, enterocolitis.
Leukopenia, thrombocytopenia: extreme caution in those with renal insufficiency or BM depression
Reversible elevated hepatic enzymes
What three triazoles are used to treat serious fungal infections?
Fluconazole
Voriconazole
Itraconazole
What is the mechanism of action of imidazoles and triazoles?
Inhibit 14-a-sterol demethylase, a fungal cytochrome P450 that converts lanosterol to ergosterol.
Net effect is inhibition of ergosterol synthesis while eventually causes membrane instability. Not a rapid onset because there’s no effect on existing ergosterol.
What types of fungal infections can fluconazole treat?
Cryptocossus,
Candidia (incl. CNS and urinary):
- most C. albicans
- some C. glabrata
- NOT C. krusei
What type of infections does itraconazole treat?
Blastomyces, histoplasma, candida (NOT CNS and urinary).
Candida spectrum: more albicans and glabrata.
What types of fungal infections does voriconazole treat?
Aspergillus, candida (NOT urinary) including glabrate and krusei.
Studies show ______ is superior to Amphotericin for invasive aspergillus?
Voriconazole