EFFICACY OF CASPOFUNGIN IN FILAMENTOUS FUNGI

Abstract

Invasive fungal infections are the major cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in immunocompromised patients. Yeasts and filamentous fungi are among the most diverse etiologies of these infections. Among the filamentous fungi, Aspergillus spp. is the most frequently isolated. Caspofungin is the first member of a new class of antifungals, the echinocandins, which demonstrates potent efficacy against some species of filamentous fungi such as Aspergillus spp., and it is well tolerated and safe due to its limited pharmacological interactions and, consequently, uncommon adverse effects. This review aims at explaining the role of caspofungin against pathogenic filamentous fungi, through the comprehension of its properties and mechanisms of action, as well as resistance events.