Fungal Biomarkers, Antifungal Susceptibility Testing, and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring—Practical Applications for the Clinician in a Tertiary Care Center

Abstract Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) have increased steadily over the past several decades. The incidence of IFIs with reduced antifungal susceptibility or resistance is also on the rise. These IFIs carry significant morbidity and mortality. Among the many reasons for these poor outcomes have been the delays in diagnosis and adequate treatment of these infections. Therefore, considerable research has been directed towards earlier diagnostic strategies using biomarkers, the development and standardization of antifungal susceptible testing (AST), as well as therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of antifungal agents. This review will provide a summary overview of these areas and their practical application to clinicians practicing in tertiary care centers.
Source: Current Fungal Infection Reports - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research