Current Antifungal Agents for Treatment of Central Nervous System Infections

Invasive fungal infections have been increasing in incidence worldwide, primarily due to the growing population of immunosuppressed patients. Fungal central nervous system infections carry a high rate of morbidity and mortality due to difficulty in diagnosis and treatment. This paper provides a review of antifungal agents currently available in the United States, highlighting the pros and cons of each medication in the treatment of CNS infections. Investigational treatment approaches with combination therapy and iron chelation for CNS infections are also discussed. Despite our many advances in modern medicine, we still lack highly effective therapeutic options for treatment of cerebral infections with the angioinvasive fungi Aspergillus and the zygomycetes.