RT Book, Section A1 Hilal-Dandan, Randa A1 Brunton, Laurence L. SR Print(0) ID 1127554156 T1 Antifungal Agents T2 Goodman and Gilman's Manual of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2e YR 2016 FD 2016 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9780071769174 LK accesspharmacy.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1127554156 RD 2024/03/28 AB There are 200,000 known species of fungi, and estimates of the total size of Kingdom Fungi range to well over a million. Residents of the kingdom are quite diverse and include yeasts, molds, mushrooms, smuts, the pathogens Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans, and the source of penicillin, Penicillium chrysogenum. Fortunately, only ~400 fungi cause disease in animals, and even fewer cause significant human disease. However, fungal infections are becoming more common in patients with compromised immune systems. Fungi are eukaryotes with unique cell walls containing glucans and chitin, and their eradication requires different strategies than those for treatment of bacterial infections. Available agents have effects on the synthesis of membrane and cell-wall components, on membrane permeability, on the synthesis of nucleic acids, and on microtubule/mitotic spindle function (Figure 57-1). Antifungal agents described in this chapter are discussed under two major headings, systemic and topical, although this distinction is somewhat arbitrary. The imidazole, triazole, and polyene antifungal agents may be used either systemically or topically, and many superficial mycoses can be treated either systemically or topically. Table 57-1 summarizes common mycoses and their pharmacotherapy.