Successful treatment of Candida krusei infection with caspofungin acetate: a new antifungal agent

Crit Care Med. 2003 May;31(5):1577-8. doi: 10.1097/01.CCM.0000063145.15336.31.

Abstract

Objective: Systemic fungal infections have high mortality, and therapy is often toxic. Caspofungin acetate, a new antifungal agent with minimal toxicity, may provide a better alternative to typical therapy for Candida krusei.

Design: Case report.

Setting: Multidisciplinary intensive care unit (ICU) of a community teaching hospital.

Patient: A 22-yr-old male with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and Candida krusei fungemia failed therapy with fluconazole and amphotericin B.

Interventions: Caspofungin acetate given intravenously as a 70-mg loading dose, followed up by 50 mg daily along with standard ICU care.

Results: Survival without toxicity from therapy.

Conclusion: Efficacy of caspofungin acetate in a patient with life-threatening Candida Krusei infection.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amphotericin B / therapeutic use
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Candida / classification
  • Candidiasis / diagnosis
  • Candidiasis / drug therapy*
  • Candidiasis / etiology
  • Caspofungin
  • Echinocandins
  • Fluconazole / therapeutic use
  • Fungemia / diagnosis
  • Fungemia / drug therapy*
  • Fungemia / etiology
  • Humans
  • Infusions, Intravenous
  • Lipopeptides
  • Male
  • Neutropenia / chemically induced
  • Neutropenia / complications
  • Opportunistic Infections / diagnosis
  • Opportunistic Infections / drug therapy*
  • Opportunistic Infections / etiology
  • Peptides*
  • Peptides, Cyclic*
  • Pleural Effusion / diagnosis
  • Pleural Effusion / drug therapy*
  • Pleural Effusion / etiology
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / complications
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / drug therapy
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Antifungal Agents
  • Echinocandins
  • Lipopeptides
  • Peptides
  • Peptides, Cyclic
  • Amphotericin B
  • Fluconazole
  • Caspofungin