Topical nystatin powder in severe burns: a new treatment for angioinvasivefungal infections refractory to other topical and systemic agents

Angioinvasive fungal infections have a significant morbidity and mortality in the immunocompromised host. Massive burns produce a profound derangement in cellular immunity along with a loss of cutaneous barrier function. Trea tment of fungal burn wound infections poses a difficult therapeutic challen ge. We present a new method of treatment for angioinvasive fungal infection s with nystatin powder at a concentration of 6,000,000 units/g. It proved t o be efficacious in four consecutive severely burned patients affected by m assive angioinvasive fungal infection. Both superficial and deep tissue inf ections were eradicated without any other therapeutic interventions or adve rse effects on wound healing. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd and ISBI. All r ights reserved.