Systemic Antifungal Agents

Systemic antifungal agents and their use for the therapy of invasive mycoses are discussed in this chapter. Many of these agents can also be used to treat the mucocutaneous forms of candidiasis, but those uses are discussed in detail in Chapter 257 and thus are mentioned only in passing here. Similarly, the therapy of the various forms of tinea and onychomycosis with topical agents or systemic agents is discussed in Chapter 267. Although Pneumocystis jirovecii (formerly Pneumocystis carinii) is now classified with the fungi, the drugs used to treat it are principally used to treat parasitic infections. Those drugs and their uses are discussed in Chapters 44 and 270.