Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, Scotland, United Kingdom. f.odds@abdn.ac.uk
An intravenous (i.v.) formulation of itraconazole was evaluated in disseminated fungal infection models in guinea pigs. In acute disseminated Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus infections, treatment at 5 mg/kg of body weight twice a day (b.i.d.) significantly prolonged survival. In these models and in animals with chronic disseminated cryptococcosis, itraconazole given i.v. at 2.5 and 5 mg/kg b.i.d. greatly reduced the proportions of organs with culture-detectable fungal burdens. The efficacy of i.v. itraconazole in these animal models justifies its further investigation for the treatment of life-threatening mycoses in humans.