Systemic antifungals are drugs that are used to fight fungal or mycosis infections. These infections can affect different parts of the human body or even the whole of it and must be fought methodically and effectively, otherwise some of them can have even important consequences.
Systemic antimycotics for fungal infections
Systemic mycoses are infections that can affect the whole organism and are divided into two categories: systemic mycoses caused by primary pathogens and systemic mycoses caused by opportunistic pathogens.
In the first case, those of systemic mycoses caused by primary pathogens, these reach the body through the respiratory tract. Among the most common pathogens are Blastomyces dermatidis, which causes blastomycosis, and Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii, which cause coccidioidomycosis, Histoplasma capsulatum and Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, which cause histoplasmosis and paracoccidioidomycosis respectively.
In the second case, that of systemic mycoses caused by opportunistic pathogens, these agents may attack the individual either through the respiratory tract or other entryways such as the digestive system. Among the most common pathogens of this group are the fungi of the genus Candida, the Cryptococcus neoformas, Aspergillus, Penicillium marnaffei, Zigomycetes, Pneumocystis carinii.
Treatment with systemic antifungals
The mycoses we have examined must be treated with antifungal drugs, that is, antifungal drugs. Depending on the type of mycosis to be treated, either topical antifungals or systemic antifungals may be used. These drugs act either on the synthesis of the cell wall of the fungus or on the cell membrane or on the fungal metabolism.
The duration of treatment varies depending on the circumstance, on average it is recommended to use the antifungal for about ten days, but certain conditions require a treatment of several weeks.
The main antifungals
Among the main antifungals we find:
Amofetericin B;
Caspofungin;
Flucytosine;
Fluconazole;
Ketoconazole;
Posaconazole;
Terbinafine
Of course there are several others, it will be the doctor who will determine which one is the most suitable according to the specific situation.