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Combination therapy of disseminated Fusarium oxysporum infection with terbinafine and amphotericin B

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Abstract

A case of disseminated infection with Fusarium oxysporum following chemotherapy of acute myelogenous leukemia is reported. Antifungal treatment was successful with a 13-day course of oral terbinafine 250 mg t.i.d. in combination with amphotericin B deoxycholate 1.0–1.5 mg/kg qd and subsequently intravenous liposomal amphotericin B 5 mg/kg qd. Preceding monotherapy with amphotericin B deoxycholate 1.0–1.5 mg/kg qd had not stopped the progression of infection. The combination therapy described here represents a novel approach to the treatment of Fusarium spp. in the immunocompromised host in whom Fusarium spp. are known to cause disseminated infection with high mortality.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Gottfried Weidinger MD, Novartis Pharma, 90429 Erlangen, Germany and Jannick Denouël MD, Novartis Pharma SA, 92500 Rueil-Malmaison, France for the determination of terbinafine plasma concentrations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Klinik I für Innere Medizin, Universität zu Köln, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 9, 50931, Cologne, Germany

    A. Rothe, A. Engert, G. Fätkenheuer, U. Bethe & O. A. Cornely

  2. Robert Koch-Institut, FG 14, Nordufer 20, 13353, Berlin, Germany

    M. Seibold & K. Tintelnot

  3. Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene, Universität zu Köln, Goldenfelsstraße 19–21, 50935, Cologne, Germany

    Th. Hoppe & H. Seifert

  4. Klinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie und Venerologie, Universität zu Köln, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 9, 50931, Cologne, Germany

    C. Caspar

  5. Ev. Johannes-Krankenhaus, Hämatologie/Onkologie, Medizinische Klinik II, Schildescher Str. 99, 33611, Bielefeld, Germany

    M. Karthaus

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  1. A. Rothe
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  2. M. Seibold
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  6. C. Caspar
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  8. G. Fätkenheuer
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  9. U. Bethe
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  11. O. A. Cornely
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to O. A. Cornely.

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Rothe, A., Seibold, M., Hoppe, T. et al. Combination therapy of disseminated Fusarium oxysporum infection with terbinafine and amphotericin B. Ann Hematol 83, 394–397 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00277-003-0795-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00277-003-0795-x

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