therapeutic drug monitoring

Peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis caused by Fusarium: a case report and literature review

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A 61-year-old farmer on peritoneal dialysis developed a rare fungal infection caused by Fusarium after antibiotics failed to treat her peritonitis. Pharmacists helped doctors switch her to the antifungal medication voriconazole and carefully monitored blood levels to ensure the dose was high enough. After adjusting the dose based on blood tests, the patient recovered completely with no symptoms and normal test results within two months.

Refractory fungal infection: Three case reports highlighting good practice

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This case series examines three patients with serious fungal infections that did not respond well to standard antifungal treatments. The cases demonstrate how fungi can develop resistance to common antifungal drugs like azoles, making infections harder to treat. The authors emphasize that accurate identification of the fungus, testing its sensitivity to drugs, monitoring drug levels in the blood, and careful use of antifungal medications are essential for successfully treating these difficult infections.

Breakthrough Invasive Mould Infections Under Posaconazole Prophylaxis in Patients With Haematologic Malignancies: A Case–Control Study

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This study examined cases where patients receiving posaconazole to prevent fungal infections still developed serious mould infections despite the medication. Researchers compared 29 patients who developed these breakthrough infections with 46 control patients who did not. They found that over half of patients with breakthrough infections died, compared to only 20% of controls, and that surgical treatment significantly improved survival for certain types of fungal infections.

ESCMID-EFISG Survey on Diagnostic and Therapeutic Capacity for Invasive Fungal Infections in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg: A Focus on High Azole Resistance

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This survey examined how well hospitals in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg can diagnose and treat serious fungal infections, which are particularly dangerous for people with weakened immune systems. The researchers found that while most hospitals can test fungal samples, not all have access to all necessary diagnostic tools, especially tests for detecting resistant fungi and identifying fungal co-infections. Many hospitals outsource their testing to other facilities, which can delay diagnosis and treatment, and some hospitals lack access to all recommended antifungal medications.

Peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis caused by Fusarium: a case report and literature review

mycolabadmin

A 61-year-old farmer with kidney disease on peritoneal dialysis developed a rare fungal infection caused by Fusarium, a fungus found in soil and water. After initial antibiotics failed, doctors identified the fungus and switched to an antifungal medication called voriconazole. By carefully monitoring drug levels in the patient’s blood and adjusting doses, pharmacists helped achieve a successful recovery with complete resolution of symptoms.

Isavuconazole: Need for therapeutic drug monitoring and CYP polymorphism testing

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A patient with a serious fungal infection of the sinuses caused by Rhizopus arrhizus received the antifungal drug isavuconazole. However, blood tests showed the drug was building up to dangerously high levels in her body. Genetic testing revealed she had a mutation that made her body unable to break down the drug normally. The doctors had to give her much smaller and less frequent doses while carefully monitoring her drug levels to keep her safe.

Isavuconazonium Utilization in Pediatric Patients at a Free-Standing Children’s Hospital

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Researchers at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles studied how well a newer antifungal medication called isavuconazonium works in children with cancer and blood disorders who are at high risk for serious fungal infections. The medication was recently approved for use in children ages 1 and older. The study found that the medication was generally safe and effective, though doctors need to monitor liver function and drug levels to ensure proper dosing and catch any side effects early.

ESCMID-EFISG Survey on Diagnostic and Therapeutic Capacity for Invasive Fungal Infections in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg: A Focus on High Azole Resistance

mycolabadmin

This survey examined how well hospitals in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg can diagnose and treat serious fungal infections, especially in patients whose immune systems are weakened. The researchers found that while most hospitals have good access to testing and antifungal medications, some important tests are still missing, and many hospitals send samples to other facilities for testing, which can delay treatment. Since this region has unusually high rates of fungal infections that resist common antifungal drugs, improving access to advanced diagnostic tests is crucial for patient survival.

Fungi under fire: diagnostic capacities and antifungal availability in Peruvian healthcare facilities

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This study examined how well Peruvian hospitals can diagnose and treat serious fungal infections across the country. Researchers surveyed 54 healthcare centers and found that while basic fungal tests are available everywhere, advanced diagnostic tools and certain antifungal medications are mostly limited to the capital city of Lima. The research identifies major gaps in care that need to be addressed to help more patients survive these serious infections.

Research Topic: therapeutic drug monitoring