Current and future approaches to antimycotic treatment in the era of resistant fungi and immunocompromised hosts

Due to the ever-increasing number of immunocompromised patients, both localised and life-threatening systemic fungal infections are on the increase. Conventional treatment is of limited help. not in the least due to a less optimum benefit-to-risk ratio. Moreover, emerging pathogens with reduced antimicrobial susceptibility and the development of resistance in Candida albicans form a new challenge. Fortunately, conventional antimycotics have been improved and entirely new ones are on the horizon as well as alternative approaches such as immunoreconstitution. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.