EFFICACY OF ESCALATING DOSES OF LIPOSOMAL AMPHOTERICIN-B (AMBISOME) AGAINST HEMATOGENOUS CANDIDA-LUSITANIAE AND CANDIDA-KRUSEI INFECTION INNEUTROPENIC MICE

Immunosuppressed CF1 mice were infected intravenously with two strains of Candida krusei and four strains of Candida lusitaniae (two of whic h were resistant to amphotericin B). Mice were treated with 1 or 2 mg of amphotericin B desoxycholate per kg of body weight per day or escal ating doses of liposomal amphotericin B (8 to 30 mg/kg/day) or were le ft untreated, Higher doses of liposomal amphotericin B were as effecti ve as standard dose of amphotericin B desoxycholate in prolonging surv ival but were significantly more effective in reducing the fungal burd en in the kidneys of animals infected with both C. krusei strains and the C. lusitaniae strains that were susceptible to amphotericin B deso xycholate. This advantage of liposomal amphotericin B therapy could no t be demonstrated in mice infected with the C. lusitaniae strains that were resistant to amphotericin B desoxycholate.