ANTIFUNGAL ANTIBIOTICS

Course overview

FUNGI ARE UNICELLULAR OR MULTI-CELLULAR EUKARYOTIC ORGANISMS THAT EXIST IN ALL ENVIRONMENTS WORLDWIDE. WHILE MOST FUNGI DO NOT PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN HUMAN DISEASE, THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED FUNGI THAT DO, RESULTING IN FUNGAL INFECTION OR DISEASE. FUNGAL INFECTIONS (MYCOSES) RANGE FROM COMMON BENIGN INFECTIONS LIKE 'JOCK ITCH' TO SERIOUS, LIFE-THREATENING INFECTIONS SUCH AS CRYPTOCOCCAL MENINGITIS. ANTIFUNGAL ANTIMICROBIALS ARE ONE DRUG CLASS THAT CAN COMBAT THESE MYCOSES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE INDICATIONS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, ACTIVITY, ADVERSE EVENTS, AND OTHER CRITICAL ELEMENTS OF ANTIEMETIC USE OF ANTIFUNGAL ANTIMICROBIALS IN THE CLINICAL SETTING AS RELATES TO THE ESSENTIAL POINTS NEEDED BY MEMBERS OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM MANAGING THE CARE OF PATIENTS WHO PRESENT WITH MYCOTIC INFECTIONS.