Current and future approaches to antimycotic treatment in the era of resistant fungi and immunocompromised hosts

Due to the ever-increasing number of immunocompromised patients, both local ised and life-threatening systemic fungal infections are on the increase. C onventional treatment is of limited help. not in the least due to a less op timum benefit-to-risk ratio. Moreover, emerging pathogens with reduced anti microbial susceptibility and the development of resistance in Candida albic ans form a new challenge. Fortunately, conventional antimycotics have been improved and entirely new ones are on the horizon as well as alternative ap proaches such as immunoreconstitution. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. and I nternational Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.