Ombination Efficacy of Voriconazole and Amphotericin B in the Experimental Disease In Immunodeficient Mice Caused by Fluconazole-Resistant Cryptococcus Neoformans

Abstract

The model of systemic cryptococcosis in BALB/c SCID mice is useful for immunological and therapeutic study of the disease in immunodeficient hosts. They are susceptible to experimental cryptococcosis by C. neoformans var. grubii and useful to evaluate treatment. All the treatments pro-longed the survival compared to the control groups (P < 0.05). Amphotericin B significantly prolonged the survival of the mice compared to all other treatments. The results obtained in this study, based on a significant increase in survival and significant reduction in the burden of yeasts in the lung and brain tissues, found in the groups treated with amphotericin B combined with voriconazole versus the groups treated only with amphotericin B or voriconazole, suggest that this therapy—using amphotericin B (1.5 mg/kg/ day) in association with voriconazole (40.0 mg/kg/day) —could be a promising alternative for the treatment of cryptococcosis, especially when fluconazole proves to be unsatisfactory.